Evening star., 1934-02-11
BASIS
.F0RTAxESS0UGHT
BY TRADE GROUPS
Two Units Oppose Increase
in Gas Levy, Maintaining
Plan Is Unfair.
Leading Washington trade bodies.

Leading Washington trade bodies,
1t appears, are prepared to fight to
the last ditch any effort to slap piece
meal taxation on the citizens of the
District In a manner that disregards
completely the equitable distribution
Of such taxation.
The Washington Chamber Of Com
merce and the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association last week took
positive action in this respect when
they vigorously opposed the bill of
Representative Smith of Virginia pro-
posing an increase from 2 to cents
a gallon on gasoline tax.
sfdy Should Be Made.
The chambers board Of directors,
in opposing this plan, reiterated its
stand that no taxes should be imposed
on any particular taxable source with
out thorough study Of the whole prob
lem Of tax distribution. 1t recon-
mends that Congress name commit
tee Of experts to study the matter,
and on the basis of this study assess
taxes in a more fair and equitable
manner.
The chamber also asked that pub
hc hearings be held on the proposal,
so that the many angles of the prob
lem may be brought out.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
Association last week directed a COM
munication to the fiscal affairs sub
committee of the House District Com
mittee protesting against the proposal
to increase the gasoline tax.
"The association" said James T..
Colliflower. president, has made q
careful study of the situation and be-
lieves there Is no need for any IN.
crease in the present 2-cent-per-gal-
lon tax, which now provides sufficient
revenue to pay for maintenance of
highways in the District If Columbia
THE Smith bill would add almost
s2,000,000 to the tax now paid by
automobile users in the District, which
the association feels is unwarranted.
and an additional burden particularly
to the owners of commercial vehicles.
THAT other States have higher
taxes on gasoline may be justified be-
cause Of the extensive highway sys-
tenn. In the District of Columbia. it
was pointed out, there are less than
300 miles of roads, as compared to
$4,000 miles in Virginia and several
thousand in Maryland, so that taxes
that may be equitable in other States
would. because of the difference in
mileage 70 highway. be absolutely un-
just and unnecessary in Washington. ~
1872 Conventions Scheduled.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
Association Board of Governors de-
cided at the last meeting to again
hold booster trip this year and have
reserved the steamship Southland for
the week end Of June 9. This trip.
which has been an annual affair for
the past 20 years, was not held last
year because no boat was available
Four additional national conven-
tons to be held in Washington in
1884 were announced last week by
the Greater National Capital Com
mittee Of the Washington Board of
Trade. The estimated total attend
ance at these conventions is 1900.
diId DooCu Oll dSCCptCu oldllSllCo OIl
expenditures, the total aroount of
money that will be expended here
will be approximately s125 900. accord
ing to Curtis Hodges, executive di-
rector of the committee.
Since December Is of last year, 80
additional national conventions have
been scheduled for Washington and
the amount of money that will be ex-
pended is estimated at approximately
si.750,000. The total number of ma
tional conventions now scheduled in
Washington is 1872. Since the first
of this year the committee has an
nounced IA national conventions to
be held in washington. During a
corresponding period last year, five
conventions were announced.
In connection with the tourist busi-
ness, the committee has suggested to
some Of the sightseeing companies that
it might include in the tours a trip
irtO residential DartS Of the citv