The Washington times., 1937-01-09


pay approximately $3.50 per hundred dollars Of value
or Just slightly more than fifty per cent.
THUS TWO FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE COM
BINED TO GIVE US A HODGE-PODGE OF FIGURES
AND ALLEGED FACTS WHICH WOULD CARRY
OUT THE VICIOUS POLICY THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT is NOT RESPONSIBLE IN ANY
WAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE, UPKEEP AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
AND WHICH WOULD IMPOSE A TAX BURDEN OF
DESTRUCTIVE PROPORTIONS ON THE RESI-
DENTS OF WASHINGTON.
The formula which the advisory committee proposes
contains three elements, OF which is nonexstent
and which could not possibly exist unless there were
riot of waste graft and nefficiency in the adminstra
ton of the local government.
This formula ignores all other elements in the fiscal
relations problem, among them the biggest, the fact
that the Federal Government owns twenty-nln
per cent of all the land in the District and represents
about one third of all the value of both taxable and tax
exempt property.
The three elements which are all that the advisory
committee entering into the fiscal relations
problem the cost of services which either govern
ment renders to the other adjustment of capital out
lays to reimburse either government for expenditures
necestated by the presence of the other and excess
per capita costs of District of Columbia government"
Considering these elements the committee finds that
the first two but finds the latter element nonexstent
The principal trick of the formula is in the last and
nonexistent element
This element cannot possibly exist long there is
q reasonable control Of District affairs.
It cannot come into being and therefore affect the
formula until the District spends so much money that
it will be paying great taxes paid by cities
which carrying heavy bonded Indebtedness which
are supporting useless and waseful county and State
services and which the prey of countless political
Holsters.
THIS ELEMENT IN THE FORMULA PLACES A
PREMIUM ON EXTRAVAGANCE AND MIS-GoV
ERNMENT AND PENALTIES THE EFFICIENT
AND SANE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC AF
FAIRS.
The advisory committee found that while the average
services rendered by city governments just about
the those rendered by the District government
there wide difference in the taxes.
In other words residents Of say Jersey City, are pay
ing approximately five times much in taxes for the
same services the residents of the District of
Columbia.
The point Of that, it would to any reasonable
man. is that the residents of Jersey City getting
raw deal and should have reduction in both cost Of
government and taxes
What the committee says, in effect is that the cost
Of the District government and District taxes should be
increased.
This muddled reasoning is enough IN Itself TO totally
discredt the report and the formula recommended by
the committee.
The committee however, has gone far out of its field
to enter into discussions of matters beyond the scope
of the problem which it was appointed to consider.
It has attempted to discuss the problem of local and
national suffrage for the District although these mat
ters important they are, have direct bearing
fiscal relations
TO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE SUCH BEAR
ING WOULD BE TO BELIEVE THAT THE RESI-
DENTS OF THE DISTRICT HAVE SOLD THEIR
RIGHT TO VOTE-HAVE TAKEN BRIBE TO
GIVE UP THE RIGHT OF AMERICAN CITIZENS.
IN so FAR AS SERVING THE PRACTICAL PUR-
POSE OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF WHAT IS
AN EQUITABLE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT BE-
TWEEN THE FEDERAL AND DISTRICT GOVERN
MENTs Is CONCERNED, THE INVESTIGATION
AND REPORT OF THIS COMMITTEE ARE FINE
EXAMPLES OF A WASTE OF FIFTY THOUSAND
DOLLARS.