The Washington times., 1934-04-26
SHIFT IN REALTY.
ASSESSMENT
BASIS SEEN
Senator Thomas Also Asks
Tax Exemption Study and
Survey of Schools

Radical changes in the Dis
trict's fiscal setup are contempla'
ted as a result of studies to be
undertaken by the District Com
missioners at the instance OF
Senator Elmer Thomas (D) OF
Oklahoma, chairman of the Sem
ate District Appropriations sub"
committee.
Recommendation that the
studies be undertaken in time for
a report to be ready before the
subcommittee concludes hearings
on the District supply bill for
1885 was made by Senator
Thomas yesterday as his group
began executive hearings on the
bill, with Commissioners and City
Auditor Daniel Donovan taking
much of the day.
New Assessment Basis
One study has to do with a plan
proposed by the Oklahoma Sen
ator under which a new basis OF
assessment of real property would
be made.
Senator Thomas feels that mem.
bers of Congress have a mistaken
idea that the tax rate here is ex"
tremely low as compared to- that
in other cities, and for that rea"
son Congress is not sympathetic
toward Federal Government con.
tributions to the National Capital
government.
He suggests that the basis Of
assessment Of real property for
taxation purposes here be on less
than the full value. This, he
points out, would cause a com.
parative increase in the tax rate
in order that the same amount Of
revenue be obtained as at present
under the $1.50 rate. but would
not cause an increase in the actual
amount of taxes to be paid. This
is the manner in which the rate
is fixed in most States and for
that reason the rate here appears
to be low.
Exempt Property Study
It is expected that William p.
Richards, District assessor, will
appear before the subcommittee
near the conclusion of the hearing
and show comparisons of assess
ments in other cities and how the
proposed change would work here.
Another study asked by Senator
Thomas is on the value of prop
erty here which cannot be taxed
by the District government be.
cause it has been condemned by
the Federal Government.
He also asked that a survey be
made to determine the number Of
children attending public schools
in Washington because their pa
rents are here on official Govern
ment business.
All of these studies, it is be.
lieved, will have the effect of en-.
tightening members of Congress
as to the burden local taxpayers
carry as a result of this city
being the seat of the national
Government, and will be an addi.
tional basis for showing that at
least the budget recommendation
of $5,700,000 be the Federal Gov
ernment's lump sum contribution
to the District Government dur.
ing the coming fiscal year. The
House reduced that figure to
$4,365 900.
Full P.W.C. Fund Urged
At today's hearing Riley Elgen,
member of the Public Utilities
Commission urged the Subcor1.
mittee to give his commission the
full $86,823 recommended by the
budget.
The House cut this figure to
$25, 500, most of the cut being in
personnel.
DR.. George F. Bowerman, libra.
rian Of the Free Public Library,
testified as to the necessity Of
appropriating the $32,500 for
maintenace under his supervision
as recommended by the budget.
The House reduced this figure to
$25 900.
Committee members questioned
Dr.. Bowerman as to the $150,000
the House put in the bill above
budget recommendations for the
Georgetown branch library. DR..
Bowerman pointed out that such
a recommendation was made by
the Budget Bureau two years ago
and that the Senate approved the
item, but that it was stricken out