Evening star., 1935-08-22
TAXAT|ONC CHANGES
IN D. c. URGED At.
BUDGET HEARING
Diversion of Gasoline Levies
Is Favored and Opposed
Before Commissioners.
PLEA MADE FOR SCHOOL
AND HEALTH PROGRAMS
$25,0O0 Fund for Subway Study
Is Among Many Other Pro.
posals Made.

Is Among Many Other Pro.
posals Made.
Revolutionary changes in the Dis
trict,s tax system were espoused today
by Harry N Stull at the second and
probably last session of the Commis-
sioners hearings on 1887 budget pro-
poSals.
Stull said he was in complete
agreement" with Commissioner Allen,
who has come out as an advocate OF
diversion of the Districts gasoline
tax revenues to general expenses of
the city instead of keeping them re-
stricted to highway purposes. Stu1
also championed a proposal to turn
District water revenues into the gen.
eral fund.
Stull is chairman of the Schools
Committee of the Federation of Cit
liens Associations, but he explained
after his appearance he was speaking
on tax matters only as an individual
and had no authority to speak for the
federation.
Tax Diversion Opposed.
Opposition to diversion of gas taxes
meanwhile developed from two other
sources. Strong protest against the
proposal reached the Commissioners
today from George w. Offutt, chair
man of the Districts unit of the Amer
1can Automobile Association. He de-
clared gas taxes would be discrimina-
tory unless used only for highway pur-
poses.
At yesterdays budget hearings A.
L. Carruthers, vice president of the
federation and former chairman of
its Committee on Fiscal Relations,
voiced direct opposition to diversion
of gasoline tax funds. Carruthers
urged the Commissioners to continue
to wage a campaign for an increase
in the Federal payment toward the
expenses of the National Capital.
Stull today asked the Commission
ers to give favorable consideration to
all budget proposals for the mainte-
nance and extension OF the public
school system. In this he spoke for
the Schools Committee of the fedora
ton. He said he did not know yet
what proposals had been drafted by
the Board of Education, but said the
needs OF the school system should be
rather apparent The discussion then
turned to taxation.
Questioned by Allen.
Commissioner Allen, however. picked
up his proposal for gas-tax diversion
with the statement
"Mr. Stull, it is your tax philosophy
that if there is a gas tax restricted to
highway purposes, then by the same
d token should not all of the revenues
derived by the District from legaliza-
tion of the sale of liquor be used ex-
clusively by the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board for enforcement of the
liquor law?"
Stull agreed. Further, he then ad-
vocated turning the District water
revenues into the general fund for
general District use.
Col. Sultan at this point remarked
that there was a difference between
using gas taxes only for highway pur-
poses and the proposition of using
liquor revenues only for liquor law
enforcement.
Stull said that from the standpoint
of the taxpayer the man who pays
real estate taxes is the same who
pays the gas tax and argued that
realty taxes go into the general fund.
The same should be true with gas
taxes.
At the same time, however, he said
he saw no need for any increase in
the gas tax Answering queries by
Commissioner Hazen, he said if the
social security program indicates the
need of increased revenues, he liked
the idea of District income tax, but
would not make the exemption so
low that such tax would hit the
man with s1,200-a-year salary.
Asks Health Program Funds.
Appropriations for the benefit of
children of school age were urged by
Mrs. w. B. Fry, representing the Dis
trict of Columbia Congress Of Parents
and Teachers. She said her group was
interested in funds for more ade-
quate health program, including items
for immunization supplies and in
crease in the number of school medi-
cal inspectors and more dental clinics
and more oral hygienists. She asked
funds for better playground facilities
in all sections of the city and as to
education requested funds for a new
Dennison Vocational School, a new
crippled children's school with mod
-ern equipment, transportation for Grip
Piled children and those attending
sight saving classes and new Wilson
Teachers College.
Charles j. Benner, for the Congress
Heights Citizens Association, asked
funds for extension of the storm sewer
system. playground equipment and
roadwork for Congress Heights.
Subway Study Urged.
Peoples Counsel William A. Rob-
erts proposed appropriation of $685.
600 for a study of q proposed subway