Evening star., 1937-07-08
TWO GROUPS FIGHT
NEW D. GLAND TAX
Builders Association and
Chevy Chase Citizens
Voice Opposition.

Opposition to the proposed ! per
cent additional District land tax was
formally registered at the Senate to-
day by both the Operative Builders
Association of the District and the
Chevy Chase Citizens Association
The builders, through their attor-
ney, James c. Wilkes, in q letter to
each Senator, charged disastrous re-
suits" would follow such legislation.
They characterized 1t levy to in
crease the land tax from $3.50 to
$3.50.
Real estate now carries almost so
per cent Of the entire tax burden of
Washington" the builders said. This
obviouIly y too much. : But an in
crease Of se2a per cent in land tax is
proposed. D.
Reasons for Opposition.
Home ownership will be discour-
aged.
Rents will be increased.
Increased real estate taxes here will
divert home buyers to nearby Mary
land and Virginia. Their taxes will
be lost to the District Of Columbia.
Immediately, owners unable to pay
the higher taxes will dump their land
on the market to be improved with
cheap and hastily planned buildings,
contrary to the effort being made by
builders. Federal and District authori-
ties to coordinate private buildings
with Government identification pro-
gram.
Say Land Will Be Let Go.
"1n many instances these owners
will let the land 60 for taxes, and,
being unattractive to others because
OF the heavy tax burden, the District
will lose all taxes from the land
dumped on it. as has been the ex-
perience Of many other cities.
Eventually, the cost Of land held
by wealthy interests will be increased
to take care Of increased carrying
charges and passed on to the ulti-
mate home builder.
Builders, home owners, business
men, and the residents of Washing
ton generally, are believed to be op-
posed to this inequitable increase"
The Chevy Chase citizens, through
their president, Edwin 8. Hege. wrote
to Chairman King of the Senate Dis
trict Committee, expressing hope the
proposal would be defeated.
Letter by Hege.
Our association" wrote Hege, has
repeatedly recorded itself as opposed,
because of the present high assess
ment base, to an increase in tangible
property rate above the is per cent
level, and rate of rs per cent on
land would impose an especially heavy
burden in our area Of detached DWELL
ings. Most lots in our area are As
feet or so feet wide, containing about
$500 square feet, average assessment
about so cents per square foot. DWELL
ings thereon are assessed at an aver
age price of about $500. Thus 2.5
Pc cent on land and IT'S per cent
on improvements, would produce tax
bills OF about the same size as would
result from the application Of 4 l.s
per cent rate to both land and I'm
provements,
Persons who purchased detached
homes in suburban areas very likely
were influenced in their selection BY
a desire to obtain an abundance OF
sunlight and fresh air and have q
few flower beds, and many of such
purchasers are struggling to keep ur
the payments on their homes. A tai
OF rs per cent on land would dis.
courage home ownership, imperil equi.
ties, and tend to peg the tax base at
the present level by precluding further
home building
1T the object Of 4 as per cent ia,
on land Is to Offset losses in tax base
du, to razing Of buildings to create
automobile parking lots, it woule
seem that q more direct and fairel
plan would be to tax parking lots a!
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