Evening star., 1937-07-05
Dc. TAX BILL DELAY
IN SENATE FEARED
Wait Until Wednesday at
Least Seen Due to
Court Pressure.

cclldtc GbIIsiQeIdtlOl Vi tIle lis
tricts revamped tax bill probably will
be delayed until Wednesday at least,
1t was indicated today, as Chairman
King OF the District Committee made
last-minute efforts to expedite action.
King had planned to report the bill
to the Senate tomorrow and ask for
immediate consideration. Unanimous
consent must be granted for such pro-
cedure. and that is regarded as unlike
ly in view of plans of Senate leaders
to have the Supreme Court reorgani-
zation bill called up for consideration.
The tax bill, therefore. is expected to
follow the regular course and be held
up for one day after being reported.
There is some doubt, too, whether
the tax bill will be in shape to be
reported tomorrow. King said he had
not received print of the revised
measure from the Government Print
ing Office and if it is not available
tomorrow it cannot be reported to the
Senate before Wednesday.
To Call Special Meeting.
As soon as the print comes from the
G. P. O., King announced he would
call a special meeting of the COM
mittee. The principal purpose of the
meeting will be to determine whether
the phraseology of the amendments
adopted by the committee last week
is satisfactory. In passing on the
bill, the committee voted on forms
OF taxation and then instructed the
legislative drafting experts to revise
the House bill accordingly.
In the meantime, it became in
creasingly apparent that regardless
OF the Senate's action on the bill,
its final form will be written in con-
ference.
Representatives Kennedy of Mary
land and Nichols of Oklahoma, Demo-
Gratis, who served on the special sub
committee of the House District Com
mittee that wrote the original tax
program, announced they would fieh.
vigorously in Congress for the House
Dill With its two cardinal features
2O-cent increase in the real estate
levy and the so-called business priv
llege tax. Kennedy and Nichols are
certain to be named on the House
Conference Committee.
The Senate District Committee re-
placed the business tax and the 90
cent increase in the real estate levy
with an additional land tax of 81 on
S100 OF assessed value and 2 per cent
tax on luxuries. Kennedy predicted
the House would refuse to accept
either OF these plans, pointing out it
already had rejected the land tax pro-
posal in voting down an amendment
offered when the bill was under con-
sideration. The land tax amendment
was proposed by Representative Bige-
low, Democrat, of Ohio, a member of
the District Committee
Seeks Passage by Saturday.
It is Senator Kings aim to get the
tax bill through the Senate by Satur-
day, which would still leave less than
a week In which to work out a con-
ference agreement before July Is, the
date on which District officials said
work should start on making up prop
erty tax ledgers and tax bills
Meanwhile a statement saying en-
actment OF the tax bill with the pro-
posed increased tax on land will prove
disastrous" to property owners, was
issued by Rufus Lusk, secretary Of
the Washington Taxpayers Protective
Association.
Declaring the land tax proposal
came in the Senate like bomb out
of the clear Sky Lusk said most
civic organizations have not had time
to grasp its meaning and express their
opposition.
"As soon as Washington taxpayers
learn that the proposed 81 per 500
increased tax on land is nothing but
a. deformed posthumous child Of
Henry Georges exploded single tax
theory" Lusk added, there will be
a vigorous and united protest against
its enactment" - ~
II Reasons Stated.
Llsk cited II reasons to support
his contention that the land pro-
posal would prove disastrous" They
are:
II. Landowners in many instances
VII be unable to carry the burden
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