Evening star., 1939-01-16
Joint Committee
Refuses 10 Back
D. T.. Tax Plan
Legislators to Give
Scheme to Congress
Without Endorsement
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Congress at the last session
directed its Joint Committee on
Internal ReDenue Taxation to
make a surrey of the District tar
structure looking to,Uard reforms
and development of a permanent
program. Tar experts emploued
by the Joint Committee Uorked
Jor nearly Str months in deuelop-
ing the neU program. The Com
mlsStoners appointed special
Advisory Committee ON Taxation
TO work 1Dith the tar experts.
Congress required the report to be
submitted not later than Januaru
IS, 1889. but since that date uas
Sunday the committee uas giuen
an additional day.
The Joint Congressional Committee
on Internal Revenue Taxation TODAY
datly refused to indorse the Districts
new sl2000,000 tax-raising program,
but agreed to transmit it to Con-
gress without its own recommended
tions.
There were reports of sharp dis
agreement among the members over
various. features of the report, one
OF which recommends combination
z per cent sales tax and a tax on
income in excess of $4,000.
For nearly two hours the Joint
Committee, headed by Senator Pat
Harrison, Democrat. of Mississippi,
discussed details of the l50-page
report behind closed doors. With the
exception of Senator Capper. Re-
publican, of Kansas, none Of the
members would comment on the re-
suit of the long executive session.
Senator Capper, however. said:
The committee voted to pass the
report on to Congress without in
any way indorsing its views or
recommendations There are things
in the report the committee don't
approve Of"
Transmittal May Be Today.
The report was prepared by tax
experts employed by the Joint Com
mittee which the last Congress di-
rected to supervise study of the
District tax structure and recon-
mend any necessary changes.
Colin F. STAN, counsel for the
Joint Committee, who helped frame
the report, was closeted with the
members and explained the various
features.
Since the Joint Committee de-
cllned to approve the report, the
original letter of transmittal will
have to be rewritten before the re-
port is submitted to Congress. Mr..
STAN said the revised letter would
be completed about 3 o'clock this
afternoon. The report then will be
formally submitted to the House
and Senate and made public.
Mr. STAN as we'll as several COM
mittee members explained the re-
fusal of the committee to indorse
the tax program on the ground that
Congress did not direct any recon-
mendations from the committee it.
self. 1t was pointed out that Con-
gress intended only that the Joint
Committee supervise the tax study
and serve as the agency for trans
mitting the report to the House and
Senate.
Survey Authorization.
The authorization for the tax
survey was carried in the 1889 Dis
trict Revenue Act, which reads as
follows:
There is hereby authorized to be
appropriated out of the revenues
OF the District of Columbia the sum
OF $4,000 for the employment of
professional and clerical services in
connection with a survey and study
OF the entire tax structure of the
District of Columbia. including
taxes paid by public utilities, to be
made under the direction of the
Joint Committee on Internal Rev.
enue. Such sum shall be available
Tor necessary expenses, and for
personal services without regard to
the civil service requirements, the
Classification Act of 1923 as amend
ed, or section 37O9 of the revised
statutes. The report of such survey.
with recommendations, shall be
made to Congress not later than
January IS, 1889"