The Washington times., 1935-03-14
SEE DECREASES
|. IN ]. U.S.FUNDS
FOR CAPITAL
EIIenbogen and Mapes Bills
AssaiIed As "Haphazard"
Revenue Measures


Outstanding spokesmen of Wash.
ington's leading civic organiza-
tions today arrayed themselves
with Senate members in opposi.
tion to the imposition of an in.
come tax on the District of Co.
lumbia.
The introduction of the Ellen.
bogen bill Tuesday has intensified
the antagonism which has been
evident for some time against the
Mapes bills, and today's state.
ments leave no doubt as to the at.
titude of the local civic representa-
tives.
Shaw Flags Plan
Speaking as secretary of the
Merchants and Manufacturer AS
sociation of Washington, Edward
D. Shaw described the Ellenbogen
and Mapes proposals as "hap.
hazard" attempts to raise money.
Mr.. Shaw sees no real need for an
income tax, and states:
"What we of the association
fear is that the income tax
propositions are merely subter"
fuge for decreases in the Fed.
eral appropriations to the Dis.
trict."
Mr.. Shaw specifically criticizes
the Ellenbogen bill on the basis
that the burden of payment would
fall on employers and the District
in ratio of three to one. Accord.
ing to the association man, the bill
should at least provide for pay.
ment by the worker, the employer
and the District in equal proper
ton.
Tax Study Urged.
Before any change in Washing
tons tax rates or categories should
be made, Mr.. Shaw asserts, an in
dependent, nonpartisan committee
of tax experts should be appointed
and be afforded ample oppor.
tunity to make a complete study
of the local situation. Only in this
way, Mr.. Shaw states, can an equ1.
table distribution of the tax bur"
den be devised.
Adding the united opposition Of
some Is civic organizations to the
income tax bills, Edward F. Cola
day, chairman Of the Citizens
Joint Committee on Fiscal Rela-
tions and chairman of the Munici.
pal Finance Committee of the
Washington Board of Trade,
termed the tax unnecessary and
asserted:
eff any such new form Of tax.
alton should be added, it would
constitute an invitation for Con-
gress to further reduce the
amount of the lump sum apprO-
priatiOn annually made as the
contribution of the Federal Gov
ernment to the expenses Of the
upkeep of the District of COlum.
bia."
The District is already suffi-
GENTLY taxed and property owners
are now paying a fair tax, accord"
ing to Mr.. Colladay. These taxes,
he pointed out, are the aggregate
of those paid by manufacturers
merchants, public utilities, banks,
building associations and those
collected on licenses and gasoline
sales.
Backs Present System
Mr.. Colladay admits income
taxes are collected in a number
of States, but asserts:
"The income tax is almost
never used in a State or city
which applies the low rate in.
tangible tax, such as is now en-
forced in the District of COlum-
bia on stocks, bonds and moneys
in banks"
In view of the successful oper"
alton of the entire Washington
system, Mr.. Colladay
states:
"There is no occasion for
enactment Oh any new AUEm Oh
taxation here which would un"
necessarily add to the total tax
burden of the people Of the Dis
trict of Columbia"
Taxpayers Protest
The Ellenbogen bill was at.
tackled today in a statement
issued by the Washington Taxpay'
ers Protective Association, which
read in part:
"The bill is an effort
to transfer this burden from
the employees, who benefit and
therefore should pay, to q COM
paratively small group Of Wash
ingtOnians. Some 10000 indi-
viduals would pay an additional
tax of over $5OO,OOO and less
than 900 corporations would
contribute 1925, 900 to make the
total tax collected about $1,4OO,.
OOO."