Evening star., 1935-11-24
Failure to Meet
Urgent Needs Is
Alternative.
Citizens Preparing
to Appeal to Pres
ident, Congress.

The local civic forces are being
marshaled for the annual plea to
Congress for It's more equitable particle
patton in the financing of the Ma
tional Capital. Today's situation is
practically the same as when the Pc
tition of the Citizens Joint Com
mittee on Fiscal Relations between
the United States and the District Of
Columbia was signed last Winter. That
petition bore the signatures OF the
presidents of the Board of Trade, Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations, Cen
trail Labor Union, Merchants and
Manufacturers Association, D. c. Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs, Voteless
D. c. League of Women Voters, Bar
Association, D. C. Bankers Association,
Washington Real Estate Board, Asso-
citation of Oldest Inhabitants. Society
of Natives of the District. Rotary Club.
Kiwanis Club and the Northeast
Washington Citizens Association.
In the regular rotation in Office John
Saul has succeeded Mr.. Fleming in
the Board of Trade; Thomas E. Lodge
succeeded Mr.. Yaden of the Fedora
ton of Citizens Associations, Mrs.
Lloyd w. Biddle succeeded Mrs. Wiley
of the Federation Of Women's Clubs,
Mrs. William Kittle succeeded Mrs.
Hogue of the Voteless D. G. League
of Women Voters, Charles H. Doing
succeeded Mr.. Siddons Of the Bankers
Association, Elliot Middleton succeeded
Mr.. Doyle of the Washington Real Es-
tate Board and Fred A. Emery sue
ceeded Mr.. Burroughs of the Society
of Natives. While these changes in
the offices of president have occurred
since the petition was signed, there
has been no change in the attitude
of any Of the organizations support
ing the petition.
This petition, supported by logical
argument, lays down as fundamental
the necessity Of the Federal Govern
ment adopting a definite policy as to
its payments to the District budget.
It is held that the amount should be
equitable and bear a proper relation
to the interest of the United States
in its Capital City. 1t Is the COM
posite opinion of civic and business
Washington, as expressed in the pet1-
ton, that it Is very essential to intelli-
gent and efficient budget making that
the beginning be made with the known
proportion which each of the partners,
in the enterprise Of Capital mainte-
nance and upbuilding, will contribute.
Therefore the Citizens Joint Com
nittee has since its organization IN
1915 contended for the fixed definite
proportion method Of payment by each
Of the parties. This contention was
for continuance of the half-and-half
method of the law OF 1873 until that
was superseded by the 60-40 law Of
1922.
The committee continues to hold to
the opinion that the definite fixed
proportion method is the most equita-
BILE because of its flexibility and also
because of it's equal protection to both
parties. 1t is regarded as of special
value to the District, which is the
weak and impotent partner who
really needs the protection. The
United States, as the all-powerful
partner who levies the taxes, holds
the money and completely controls
its appropriation and disbursement,
really needs no protection, but a
definite rate of participation would
be very helpful aid in budget
making from the national Govern
ment angle.
The Citizens Joint Committee re-
CARDS as baseless the theory that
District taxpayers are not bearing an
adequate tax burden. The petitioners
contend that the District taxpayers
are now reasonably and, in view of
their peculiar disabilities, even heav-
lily taxed, and that no increase in
their tax burden should be considered |
unless it is clearly demonstrated that |
such additional taxation is absolutely |
necessary to meet urgent municipal |
needs which cannot otherwise be sat- |
isfied. The citizens claim that these |
needs should be met by increase of |
the lump sum and not by increased |
taxation. Such increase of the Fed
eral lump-sum payment is considered |
as the first step which should be |
taken toward balancing the Districts
budget.
Last Winter and at the present time
the Joint Committee is putting par
ticular stress on the necessity Of
increasing the lump sum,
if that method is to be continued, in
stead of the 6O-4o requirement of un-
repealed substantive law. The COM |
mittee, while not deserting its sound
position on the definite fixed pro-
portionate plan. recognizes that under
the existing conditions on Capitol Hill
there is little hope that the lump
sum method will be abandoned.
Since the introduction of the lump
sum method the cost Of running the
District has continued to grow and
the lump sum, which attained a maxi
mum in 1881 of s9,5oo, 900, has now