Evening star., 1937-06-23
SEES AUTO TAXES
AS TRANSIT BOON
Utilities Body Accountant
Predicts Street Car.Bus
Passenger Gain.

New tax burdens which NAV be
dropped soon on District motorists
would force a large number of them
TO make use Of the street car and bus
services of the Capital Transit Co.,
the Public Utilities Commission has
been advised by it's chief accountant.
B. M. Bachman.
Meanwhile, E. D. Merrill, president
OF the transit company, protested to
the commission that Bachman's esti-
mate that the company would collect
$ll, l04,6 500 in passenger revenues dur
ing the calendar year 1887 was "far
beyond anything that can be hoped
for"
His declaration was the keynote Of
determined effort by company attor-
neys and company officials to break
down Bachman's estimate that the
companys net operating revenue for
this year would be ST 65l, 400, or more
than double the net operating revenue
he tabulated the company had re-
ceived in the IL months which ended
April 80.
5. Il. Bowen asked that Bachman
prepare breakdown of how he ar.
rived at his 1887 estimate, giving a
monthly month account of actual
passengers carried in past months, 50
that they could be compared with his
estimates by the month for the last
eight months Of this year.
lam hOroo TonS;dos>l
There was considerable discussion
OF the possible effect on company
revenues OF the Boy Scout Jamboree.
ana finally Commission Chairman
Riley e. Elgen directed Bachman to
insert into the record the official pro.
gram OF the jamboree. Bowen had
insisted that Bachman was trying to
make something out of "a very small
convention, small as street car rides
are concerned"
Bowen argued that the record also
should show something concerning the
effect Of the past inaugural and the
last Shriners' convention held here,
but Hinman D. Folsom, commission
counsel, threw up his hands at that
suggestion.
None of counsel at the table was
able to remember the date OF the
Shriners' convention.
Bachman took the proposed YAK
burdens into consideration along With
other data, in estimating that the net
operating income Of the company dur.
Ing the calendar year 1887 would be
some 100000 more than he calculated
the figure to be for the IL month,
which ended April 30
Aside from the data on the inme-
dlate past experience of the com.
pany, Bachman considered the pros
poets for weight tax on motor ve-
hicles, now part of the omnibus tax
bill for the District; the continued
suggestions for an increase in the
gasoline tax, and the possibility that
the proposed business privilege tax
may be applied to the gross receipts of
taxi drivers.
Parking Restrictions Considered.
In explaining the exhibit on the
companys prospects, which he laid be-
fore the commission yesterday, he
said he also had considered the pro-
gresslve extension of restrictions on
parking of automobiles on the public
highways. All these elements, he said.
would affect the transit company pa.
tronage
Bacnman's estimate of the company
net operating revenue for this calen-
dar year was based on the present
scale of fares.
Other features of Bachman's data
provoked a new demand by William
NICK. Clayotn, spokesman for the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
for a sixmonth trial of a scent
fare for both street cars and busses.
except for the express bus lines. and
Tor return of the 81 weekly
street car pass. which was withdrawn
from use January by the company.
Bachman's figures in revenue pas.
sengers showed that during the eight
months from May through December
OF last year the company carried an
average of 108l7,166 street car riders
per month, but that in the four
months following abandonment of the
dollar pass the average vas but g.
982Ol4.
While Bachman believes the trend
OF passengers will go up again, Clay
ton declared last night he is con-
Nnced the figures are proof of the
wisdom OF a return of the dollar pass.