Evening star., 1935-11-21
BY DON S. WARREN.

Prospects Of having to obtain some
$7.o00,O00 additional in annual rev.
enue if the District is to make out
lays for permanent improvements and
keep pace with rising maintenance
costs. were faced today by municipal
officials as they struggle to project
balanced budgets for coming years.
A considerable boost in the Federal
payment and solid increase in tax
alton on District residents will be
needed if this objective is to be
reached, according to the picture pre-
sented by figures gathered by the
Commissioners Special Tax Com
mittee.
Four Proposals Made.
Four new tax proposals specifically
are being considered by the commit
tee at the direction of the Commis-
sioners. They are:
Increased levies for utilities, an in
heritance tax, an automobile weight
tax to take the place of the present
personal property tax on motor We
hicles and an increase in the gaso-
line tax. These are calculated to pro-
duce approximately $4,350,000 addi-
tional revenue.
A boost of $4,000, 900 in the Federal
payment would have to be added
to the results of such an upward
revision of District taxes to pro-
duce the estimated needed additional
revenues calculation shows.
Municipal Center Raises Outlay.
The rise In capital outlay during
the period from 1929 to 1881, as
shown by the committees chart, was
due largely to the acquisition of the
four-square site for the proposed
municipal center. Approximately ST.
100000 was spent for this property.
but thus far no funds have been pro-
vided for erection Of any buildings.
The last session of Congress author
lied the Commissioners to borrow
P. w. A. funds to erect courts build
ing in Judiciary Square. Efforts to
get the money, however, have been
futile.
The Tax Committee, headed by Cor
poration Counsel E. Barrett Pretty
man, has reached no conclusion as yet
regarding new taxes or other revision
of the present system, it was declared.
The committee will come to grips with
the problem by next Tuesday, when
it hopes to complete its findings. A
report is expected to be laid before
the Commissioners next Wednesday.
I5-Year Trend Shown.
Indications of the size of the Dis
trict's financial problem were illus
trated in pages of figures and charts
prepared by the committee to reveal
trends in maintenance and improve
ment costs during the past Is years,
and the relation between these and
present revenues, including the Fed
eral payments, which has been dwind-
ling In recent years in relation to the
total District expenses.
Prettyman and other members of
the Tax Committee released this sta
tistical and chart data late yesterday.
They said these revealed q graphic
picture Of the need. They declined
to anticipate the committees final
recommendations to the Commission
ers. They plan to study the data in
6ividually until next week.
The data disclosed a number Of
trends which the committee members
regarded as vital. Among these were:
That District appropriations in five
Of the six past fiscal years have ex-
ceeded the actual total revenues for
those years. The deficiencies for those
years we're met out of surpluses car
ried over from preceding years. The
fiscal year 1884 was the exception.
That maintenance costs have been
mounting at a steady gait.
That amounts appropriated for per-
manent improvements, such as
Isee TAXES. PHre a.