Evening star., 1934-06-05
Blanton's Remarks Amplified
Some of the Texans Assertions on Local Matters
Fail to Supply Necessary Facts About
the District Of Columbia.

from the kindergarten to the high
est schools here. with no special
school tax at all"
There is no special school tax in
Washington, the expenses for the
schools coming from general taxation.
According to figures produced by
Assessor Richards before the Senate
Subcommittee on District Appr0pria-
tions, 1t was demonstrated that the
people Of the District are paying
taxes comparable with those paid by
the citizens of other cities.
All the figures show that the burden
imposed by Congress upon the local
taxpayer is fully as heavy as that
which the average self-governing
American municipality imposes upon
itself. and in view of the peculiar dis
abilities under which the District la
bors its tax is harder to meet than
that of the average American COM
munity.
Representative B'anton's state
ment: They do not know that
the water rate here per ordinary
family is only about 81 per year
with 10000 cubic feet the allow
ance"
He said later: Let me remind
you also that they tthe Commits
sioners) increased the minimum
water allowance to each family at
that low rate from $500 cubic feet
nm hi f@,-
about so cents a month per family.
Your folks at home are paying for
part of ii"
The people of the District Of Co
lumbia through their water taxes and
through their property taxes have in
vested more in the District water sys-
tenn than the Federal Government has
invested. This system is now main
tanned and developed without one cent
of contribution from the National
Government representing ''your folks
at hOme"D and, in addition. the peo-
pie Of the District are charged with
the expense Of supplying the National
Government with its water free. The
National Government and its agent,
the municipal government. are among
the largest consumers of water in the
District and obtain water free of
charge.
The reduction in water rates was
suggested last year by the House Sub
committee on District Appropriations.
One reason for the proposed reduction
was the fact that the people of the
District were being taxed more for
their water than Congress was willing
to appropriate. thus creating an ad-
ditional unusable surplus.
Representative Blanton's state
ment: They do not know that
after premises are once connected
with the sewer system here there
is never any charge for such service
thereafter. They do not know that
there Is no charge to the people
Tor gathering and disposing Of
trash, ashes or garbage. They do
not know that in the residential
sections and elsewhere the owners
are not charged for the beautiful
trees, but that same are furnished
free, planted. nurtured. sprayed
and cared for and pruned and
looked after for all time without
any direct cost to the people"
The expenses for maintenance of
the sewer system, for the trash, ash
and garbage collection and for the
planting and maintenance Of street
trees are met out of the Districts
general taxation. While some cities
follow the practice of earmarhing
certain taxes to pay for schools and
such services as those enumerated
above. there are no earmarked or
special taxes in the District outside
of the gasoline and water taxes.
Representative Blanton's state
ment: The taxpayers of this
Nation. Mr.. Speaker, do not know
that for many years the United
States Government with the tax
money out of the Federal Treasury
paid half of all the civic expenses
of Washington. paving streets.
building bridges. street lighting,
police service. fire service. school
buildings, Fairgrounds, hospitals,
school salaries, and school ex-
penses, court expenses, and all
other OF the going expenses of the
city"
Some of the things which Mr.
BlantOn failed to mention in this
connection are tina: the District of
Columbia happens to be the seat of
Government of the United States. ex-
clusively governed by the Congress of
the United States; it is the only COM
munity in the United States where
the people are taxed without being
given the American right of repre-
sentatiOn: that the National Govern
ment laid out and planned the city
OF Washington on a grand scale of
development far beyond the resources
of any municipality of its size to sup
port; that il Government real estate
holdings in Washington, now on the
tax exempt list. paid municipal taxes.
that amount alone would far exceed
the present Federal contributions; and
that the obligation to contribute rea-
SOnably TO municipal expenses as the
untaxed owner of city real estate
hundreds Of millions in value is only
one of the factors which continue
to demand that in equity the Nation
shall contribute literally to the main
tenance and advancement Of the Ma
tiOnaI Capital.
While the Federal contribution was
fixed at so per cent of the local ex-
penses between 1873 and 1922, Wash
ingtonians contributed as much to
this Federal contribution through
their Federal taxes as the citizens OF
other American communities. Mr..
Blanton also failed to mention that
in 1922 the $3.50 system of sharing
expenses was changed to 60-40, and
that, although this system of appro-
priating was written into unrepeaIed
law, Congress has evaded that law
annually since the fiscal year 1924.
Representative Blanton's state
ment: The people of this Ma
tion do not know that this Gov
eminent at the expense Of the
American people maintains here a
big colored university, upon which
it has spent millions: that this
Government maintains here
number of fine hospitals for