Evening star., 1934-12-26

lumbia should be reduced from $1.70
to 81 so on real estate"
Census and other statistics show
that full" 100 per cent assessment
valuation commanded by law has been
constructed in American cities and
States to mean anywhere from 18 and
25 per cent to IS and 80 per cent. If
the assessment standard is low the
tax rate must be high, and If the
assessment standard is high the tax
may be low to produce the necessary
revenue. Washington is conspicuous
among the cities which raise the
necessary local revenue by high as
sessment and low tax rate.
With respect the 2-cent gas tax
and automobile license fees, Mr..
Blanton must know that the people of
the District do not fix any taxes. For
several years in the past Congress
was unwilling to appropriate all of
the money raised from local gasoline
and automobile taxation for the pur-
poses (street and road improvement,
etc. for which the tax Is imposed,
thus creating a surplus unavailable
for anything else, despite the urgent
solicitation of local taxpayers and the
Commissioners that this local tax
money be spent.
Gas Tax Rate Too High.
The primary purpose of the tax on
gasoline is for road making, mainte-
nance and improving, on the ground
that motor owners make more than
ordinary use of roads. In States of
large area, where smooth road systems
have not been developed, the gasoline
tax is naturally high. In the District,
with its limited area and its nearly
completed street and hard road sys-
TEN, the tax should be very low. 1t
is now as high as in Rhode Island,
Connecticut and Montana. and is too
high, since it produces an unused
surplus.
There is no local income tax in the
District nor is there any State income
tax in Texas or many other States.
The people of Texas voted down a
proposal to levy State income tax
in the past election.
There is no local inheritance tax,
as in practically all of the States now,
but there is a Federal inheritance
tax. If the District had local in
heritance tax like those prevailing in
the States, the chief effect would be
to turn over to the District a portion
of the AK now collected by the Ma
tional Government, as is done in the
States. As it is, all of the inheritance
tax collected in the District goes to
the Federal Government together with
the 1882 and 1884 .supertax.
"Free" Item Charged to All.
As to the free school books and
supplies, free garbage and ash COL
lections, ETC., Mr.. Blanton also must
know that such services are not free
at all, the expenses coming from gen.
eral taxation. According to figures
produced by Tax Assessor Richards
before the Senate Subcommittee on
Appropriations, it was demonstrated
that the people of the District are
paying general taxes comparable
with those paid by the citizens of
other cities.
AS to the 81 annual water bill re-
ferred to by Mr.. Blanton, he knows
the people of the District, through
their water taxes and through their
property taxes have invested more in
the District water system than the
Federal Government This system is
now maintained and developed with
out one cent of contribution from the
National Government and, in addi-
ton, the people of the District are
charged with the expense of supply
ing the National Government with its
water free. The National Govern
ment and its agent, the municipal
government. are among the largest
consumers of water in the District
and obtain water free of charge,