Evening star., 1936-11-19
THOUSANDS |ND.C.
MUST PAY TAXES
AVOIDED TILL NOW
U. S. Income Levy Records
Give Assessors Clues to
Personal Goods.
1900 NEW ACCOUNTS.
PUT ON LISTS ALREADY
Sums of $23,5s1 Charged, With
Searchers Only Through A,
B and c Names.
by DON s. WARREN,

Thousands of additional District
residents will be forced to pay per-
sonal property taxes this year, plus
penalties, because District assessors
are checking returns against reports
made to the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau, according to preliminary re-
port made today by Deputy Tax As
SCISSOR Charles A. Russell.
To date. $500 income tax reports
to the Federal Government by local
residents have been checked, and.
Russell reported. 1000 new accounts
have been added to the District tax
roster, with new levies amounting to
$23, ,5s1.
So far, District tax agents have
checked reports to the Internal Reve-
nue. Bureau from only those persons
whose names begin with A, B and c.
Russell said experience so far would
indicate that about so per cent Of per-
sons making income tax reports had
failed to make corresponding returns
for District tangible and intangible
personal property holdings.
Green Sheets" Bare AL.
This Is the first time District as
SCISSORS have had the opportunity to
make such a double check on District
taxpayers, and they are going at the
work with determination. The method
was made possible by Congress when
it required Federal income taxpayers
to make out the duplicate green
sheets" These are available to local
taxing authorities throughout the
United States.
Without waiting to learn whether
taxing authorities in other cities were
taking advantage of the system, Dis
trict officials last August assigned
agents to check the green sheets at
the Internal Revenue Bureau against
District personal tax returns.
District officials today were prepar-
ing TO make effective use of the in
formation gathered from the Federal
agency. They announced they would
begin next week preparation of man
damus actions to be fled in District
Court to compel filing of District tax
returns and the payment of the new
accounts. A long list of such suits
was effectively carried to the court
last year, they recalled.
Penalties Are Heavy.
Personal tax returns for this year
were due during the month of July.
last. There is a penalty of 20 per
cent of the ultimate assessment for
failure to make returns on time and
there is a penalty charge OF per
cent per month for delinquency in
payment, and if the mandamus ac-
ton has to be taken at court, the
cost of the court proceedings is added
to the taxpayers bill.
During August, District officials re-
ported that approximately $1,000 re-
turns were made. 1t was estimated
that the tangible personal property
tax collections on that number Of
accounts would amount to some ST.
100000. and the collections for in
tangible property to about $4,000, 900.
As a result of the checking of Dis
trict returns against the green sheet
reports, Tax Assessor Fred D. Allen
today has sent out notices to 1900 per-
sons that they must hasten to make
returns. In 400 cases, officials say. it
was found the property owner had no
taxable personal property.
The tax officials say they will con-
tinue to check down the lists at the
Internal Revenue Bureau until they
have finished with the entire alphabet.
For this purpose Allen has two of his
assistants assigned to the Federal bu-
reau and has four or more employees
(See TAXES, Page A-2)