Evening star., 1935-04-03

in raising the Federal share of next
years District appropriation bill from
$5,70o, 900 to $500, coo is strongly
supported by testimony in the hear
ings, made public today, showing the
high percentage Of tax-exempt Fed
eral property in Washington, the un-
usual amount of park area and the
fact that local residents already are
bearing Q fair tax burden In COMPARE
son to other cities.
In support of Washington's conten-
tion that 1t Is adequately taxed, the
hearings contain . complete set Of
tables Of the tax data of this and
other cities, submitted by Edward r.
Colladay. on behalf Of the Citizens
Joint Committee on Fiscal Relations
Between the United States and the
District OF Columbia. These tables
were supplemented by other statistics
submitted by District officials.
At one point in the hearings, Sena-
tor Thomas, Democrat, of Oklahoma,
chairman. made this observation:
We want to give the District the
proper amount of money to operate
the city, for its different institutions
and facilities: so. when I find here
that you asked for $42 600, 900, and
the budget approved $4,000 900 and
the House cut that down to $39,-
900, 900. it would seem to indicate that
the House bill is 100000 short of
what the city needs"
Recognized Inadequacy.
The bill as reported tC the Senate
today shows how the appropriations
Committee endeavored TO provide for
those needs. and, recognizing the in
adequacy of the present Federal OBJ
legation of $5,700,00O. has raised the
lump sum by $2,600.000 to meet these
added necessities of the Capital City
The hearings also are replete with
discussion of the proposal Of Chair
man Thomas and other Senators that
Washington change to the low assess
ment and high rate method of taxa
ton followed in most other cities, so
that its tax burden will no longer
be misunderstood by members of
Congress and others.
District ofiicials and civic groups
agreed this should be done, but a
separate bill will have to be introduced,
changing the present law of 1922,
which requires property here to be
assessed at no less than true value.
Sees Highest Tax.
Chairman Thomas made this COM
ment on Washington's tax burdens:
1T is my contention. from what
study 1 have made, that the citizens
of Washington pay higher tax than
any other city that I know of, al
though it is the lowest rate that
know Of"
you stated a moment ago. 1t is based
on full value" observed District Au-
ditor Donovan.
Senator Thomas just previously had
explained why he believes the high
assessments here cause the city's tax
burden to be underestimated by per-
sons who look only at the low rate
applied to these high assessments
Describing Congress as the board of
directors" for the District, Senator
Thomas said when the members of
the board" come here they are busy
with their home sffairs and they hear
rate in Washington is ia per cent
Isl so per $100 Of assessment). They
remember the higher tax rates used
at home without taking into account
the actual full value assessments ap-
piled to the Washington rate Senators
believe.
1T would not cost any citizen more
money to pay his taxes. If he paid 2
per cent on 500 than l per cent on
$780," said Senator Thomas, in advo-
eating a higher rate and lower assess
ment here
Cities Compared.
The hearings reveal a recent study
by District officials, showing that in
18 cities the average ratio of actual
assessment to full value at 81 per cent,
whereas Washington's assessment is
virtually 100 per cent Of true value
Colladay presented other tables to
show how high Washington's assess
ment and tax burdens are when COM
pared with other cities on a per
capita basis.
Senator Tydings of Maryland
pointed out that Washington is
home city, while other cities used
in the comparisons have manufac-
turing plants. The Senator added: so
that your contract is even greater than
the column itself shows"
Colladay also brought out that be-
cause this is the Capital Of the Ma
finn nFnnnpfu hArA
amounts to 80 per cent of the real
estate. The total assessment of tax
able real estate, he said, Is $1,135,-
100000. The total Of exempt property
is Sill, 900, 900. OF the total exempt
area, s556.O00,000 is Government
property.
Large Park Area.
To show that Washington has an
unusually high ratio of parks to pop
ulation. thereby reducing the taxable
area. the citizens spokesmen brought
down to date the data on this subject
collected by the Bureau of Efficiency
in 1880. The hearings contain this
summary on parks:
Bringing the information down to
March 80, 1885. we find that the esti-
mated population of the District of
Columbia is 100000: that the total
land area in the District of Columbia
is 39,6S0 acres; and that the park
area in the District of Columbia is
$3.50 acres, or / acre to each Ill OF
the population At this time approx
mately one-seventh of the entire land
area in the District of Columbia Is.
made Of up park area"
Senator Tydings suggested that
dat4 be submitted showing also the
streets the Government occupies ex-
clusively and the various services the
Federal Government gets from the
municipality. such as fire and police