Evening star., 1935-01-03

and substantial additions, the
| address of Theodore w. NoyeS
on Fiscal Equity for Washing
tom at the recent Oldest In
habitants' dinner.
In the statistics booklet of the Citi-
zens' Joint Committee on District Fis-
cal Relations, based on the census
figures of 1880, the yardstick for meas
uring comparative tax burdens, de-
scribed in article 6 as measuring
with greater accuracy than any other,
| Is applied with the notifications and
limitations suggested to certain Amer
lean cities approximating Washington
in size and conditions of environment.
, [See tables to 13, inclusive, statis-
tics booklet, Citizens Joint Committee
for District National Representation.
| See Star broadside February, 1882,
series Of articles commenting on the
figures of this booklet and comparing
them with the figures of the House
! (Mapes) special committee and the
| Bureau of Efficiency reports. See also
argument of E. F. Colladay before the
Senate Appropriations Committee
| subcommittee on District bilD, May
l9, 1921
Comparison With 1882 Figures.
Let us measure, using the same
yardstick, the comparative tax bur-
dens of the same cities of date closer
to the present day, utilizing the fig
ures of 1882, the latest fully available.
If We compare cities of approXi-
mately the same population and con-
ditions of environment, we do not need
per capita comparisons. The tax bur-
dens, represented by the tax levies and
the money actually collected from the
taxpayers, can be compared directly
with conclusive results. (See Table
XIII of Citizens Joint Committee
booklet, and Table A on this page.)
The cities nearest in population to
Washington (492,000) are Minneapolis
(48l, ,70O and New Orleans (474,5OO).
These are the census estimates of pop
ulation of the middle of the fiscal year
1882.
In realty assessment, Washington,
$1.226,691 ,e48; Minneapolis, S275, 5,8sl. :
095; New Orleans, s363, ,324,313
Though the cities are of approxi-
mately the same size, WaShington's
realty assessment is nearly twice as
great as the assessments of Mime
apolis and New Orleans combined
These figures demonstrate the higher
standard and greater thoroughness of
WaShington's assessment
In total property assessment (real
and personaD, Washington, $685.
089,606; Minneapolis, S486, ,283,O35;
New Orleans, $488, ,215.767.
Real Estate Tax Levy.
In real estate tax levy, Washington,
S20.S53,763; Minneapolis, S2O,O59.25I;
New Orleans, S14,736.037. The close
ness of the taX-levy figures tax rate
! and assessment combined), in view
of the great difference in assessment
figures, shows that the tax rate in both
Minneapolis and New Orleans is much
greater than that of Washington.
In total property tax levy (real and
personaD. Washington, S27,468, ,761;
Minneapolis, s24, ,259.619; New Orleans,
Sl9,8Ol l,49o. Per capita total property
tax levy, Washington. $5583; Mime
apolis, 5o.36; New Orleans, s41.73.
! Per capita total tax levy less per
capita interest payments, Washington,
] S55.83; Minneapolis. S4399; New Or
leans, S32,29 These figures show the
comparative tax burdens if interest
and sinking fund expenditures are de-
Quoted as confusing and misleading in
comparison of maintenance expenses.
In per capita total tax levy less per
capita interest payments less State
tax payments, Washington, s55.f
Minneapolis. $38.43; New Orleans,
S25.33.
Equitable Deductions in Comparisons
of City Tax Burdens.
In these articles it is contended that
in equity interest payments and State
tax payments should be deducted from
total taxes in comparisons of cost of
maintenance of Washington with other
cities. Without these deductions
Washington's tax burden (real estate
levy) is slightly greater than that of
Minneapolis and AIS per cent greater
than that of New Orleans and in total
property tax levy is in per capita 1O9
per cent greater than Minneapolis and
1913 per cent greater than New
Orleans.
With interest deduction from total
property tax levy Washington's per
capita tax burden is 1853 per cent more
than that of Minneapolis and 1928 per
cent more than that of New Orleans.
With both interest payments and
State taxes deducted Washingtons per
capita tax burden is 45.3 per cent more
than Minneapolis and 120 per cent
more than New Orleans.
Let us extend the comparison Gas in
Table TX of the statistical booklet,
Table B as reproduced on this page) to
a few other cities, including the cities
nearest in population to Washington
minneapolis and New Orleans), rep
resentative cities of adjacent Mary
land and Virginia Baltimore and
Richmond) and st. Louis and Indian
apolis, progressive cities representing
the Middle West.
Washington in per capita total tax
levy exceeds them all. Washington,
S55.83; st. Louis, $4483; Baltimore,
s44.54; Minneapolis, $50.36; New Or
leans, s41.73; Indianapolis, $43.35;
Richmond, S3795.
If from the total tax levy per capita
the per capita interest and State tax
are deducted the resulting figures are:
Washington, S55.83; st. Louis, S39.0l;
Baltimore, $30.48; Minneapolis, S38.43;
New Orleans, $25.33; Indianapolis,
1861; Richmond, $24.26.
Assessor Richards Comparisons.
Assessor Richards made a COMPARE
son Of tax burdens for the Senate
Subcommittee on District Appropria-
tions in the Spring of 1884 with 1888
figures he had obtained from % cities
(not census figures.
The 81 cities used in that compari-
son with New York excluded) we're:
Philadelphia, Detroit, st. Louis, Bal
timore, Boston, Pittsburgh, San Fran
cisco, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Cincinnati,
Newark, Rochester, N. Y; Louisville,
pnrflov1I C11o