Evening star., 1935-06-02
SIashing Budget Proposed
at Closing Session of
Federation.
GASOLINE TAX BOOST
PROPOSAL is FOUGHT
Assessment of Property at SOC
Of Market Value and 1nheri-
tance Levy Are Favored.

Disapproval Of any increase IN
"a xes to meet expenses OF the District
during the next fiscal year was regis
tered by the Fedora Ulon OF Citizens
Associations at its closing meeting OF
the season last night.
On motion of Edwin S. Hege, the
group suggested that, if necessary, the
budget for the next 1scai year should
De slashed sufficiently to prevent any
boost in taxes. Attention was called
O the differences in the Federal pay
nent toward expenses of the National
Ca pital IN the District supply bill as
passed by the Senate and House.
The federation also voiced definite
disapproval of the proposal OF the
District Commissioners for an IN
crease from 2 to 3 cents in the Dis
trict's gasoline tax. and opposed adop-
tion Of a weight tax on automobiles,
in reafirming previous stands taken
bv the body. 1t also registered oblec-
ton to consideration of any income
tax for District residents.
sOct Assessment Urged.
federation approved a proposal that
real estate be assessed here at 50 per
cent of full market value. Coupled
with doubling of the tax rate, this
is offered as means of preventing
unfair comparisons Of the District tax
rate with that of cities which have a
high tax rate but low assessment.
Adoption of a District inheritance
tax was favored. 1t was explained this
would mean the District. just as do
the States. would receive up to 80 per
cent of the Federal inheritance tax
levy.
A plan to permit quarterly payment
Of taxes was indorSed.
The federation voiced disapproval of
appointment OF non-residents of the
District to positions of principal of
the new Woodrow Wilson High School
and the Anacostia Junior High School,
The motion was made by Harry N.
Stull. chairman of the Committee on
Educa ton. The subject provoked ex-
tended argument.
Promotion Proposed.
I'VE believe the positions should be
filled by promotion of those now in
the school system" Stull said. "since
1t is well known that there are many
now In the system who have the neces-
sary qualifications, scholastic and
otherwise"
Stating that some now in the system
have taken additional degrees to
qualify for these positions, the COM
n1ittee said 1t would be unfair" to
make them compete with teachers
throughout the country.
Stull took DR.. Frank w. Ballou to
task for having initiated" in 1888 the
move opening District school posts
TO persons anywhere in the country.
Reopening of night school classes
at Western High School next school
term and appropriation of an adequate
sum for proper continuation and ex-
pansion of the night school system
was voted on motion by Stull. Dorsey
w. Hyde and others championed this
move.
The land on which now stands the
old tuberculosis Hospital should be
used for sites for a municipal play
ground, a new teacher college and
for ample space for the Dennison Vo-
cational School for Girls, when the
hospital is abandoned on completion
Of the new sanatorium at Glenn Dale,
Nd, the federation decided.
Election Stand Reaffirmed.
The federation reaffirmed its stand
for election OF the members of the
Board of Education.
Expansion of recreation facilities in
Southwest Washington was urged.
Development of wading pool, tennis
court and gymnasium at the Hoover
Playground was suggested. 1t was
proposed also to use the site of the
proposed Jefferson Junior High School
as a playground until the school is
built Stull said recreation facilities
in the area now were wholly made
1uate."
BY a vote of 80 to 25 the fedora
ton rejected a resolution offered by
Mrs. H. j. Steiner, proposing an in
vestigation of the rise in the cost Of
living in the District. There was
long debate, in which pros and cons
Of the level of residential rents and
the price OF milk, potatoes and meats
were argued.
Quinn Objects.
HenryI. Quinn objected to the sug-
eestion there was a rent emergency,
and in opposing creation OF a rent
commission, now considered in Con-
gress, he said:
LET us let the law Of supply and
demand and the hard-headed business
men bring us back to normalcy.
Fred s. Walker countered with the
query: "Where were the hard-headed
business men in 1881 and 1882 and
where are they now?"
Seeking to improve collection OF
tangible and intangible personal prop
erty taxes the federation adopted a
resolution urging Congress to provide
for employment Of agents to investi-
gate such tax returns.
A number of resolutions proposing
various forms Of increased taxation or
new taxes, offered by the Dahlgren
Terrace Association, were rejected BY
the federation as being piecemeal tax
alton and offering no solution of real