Evening star., 1940-07-09
A Mixed BIessino

the population figures, showing
growth OF the city and the suburbs,
carry quite the same significant
meaning as in Washington. A growth
IN population in Washington, as in
other cities, means an increase In
business with the usual collateral
advantages which normally call for
expressions of qualification from the
community.
But in Washington, rapid growth
in population is never an unmixed
blessing and today-continuing. as it
does, the trends so marked in 1890
this growth sheds new light on some
of the still unsolved problems pecu-
liar to the National Capital.
1t Is doubtful if any city of the
United States has as large a per-
centage of non-taxpaying residents
as Washington; residents who figure
on the census takers rolls but not
on the assessors lists. This condi-
ton, always true, is now accentuated
by the recent court decision, which
In effect exempts from local per-
sonal taxes certain citizens who, al
though maintaining legal residence
elsewhere, are actually residents of
Washington. And as the final census
ngures may show, it is this class of
resident which is chiefly responsible
for Washington's population increase
OF thirty-six per cent in the past
decade, compared with an eleven
per cent increase between 1920
and 1880.
Most of the cities can expand their
boundaries at will, taking In sub
urban territory and gathering to
themselves taxpaying population as
the suburban communities are estab-
Hshed. In Washington this is impos-
slole, as the boundaries are fixed by
the Constitution itself and cannot be
extended. The remarkable growth
OF Washington's suburbs in the
adjacent Maryland and Virginia
counties, shown during the 1s2O-193o
decade, has continued with acceler-
ated pace In the past decade. The
city proper-or the District of Co.
lumbia-which must provide many
OF the necessary facilities for this
large population of suburban work.
ers, derives no direct municipal tax
revenue from their presence.
Comparisons of population figures.
as shown by the preliminary esti-
mates, made available Sunday, with
few other figures outline the nature
OF the problem involved in popula-
tion growth in Washington:
s:::; sH;s::
paved saa - s'ooo'ooo 100000 1885,
mileage $50 $50 3s1s J.
The significance of the showing
here is plain. Appropriations for
maintenance and development of the
National Capital have Jagged far
behind growth of population. Yet,
in this same period, local tax collec-
tions, from higher taxes and new
taxes, have increased far beyond
the growth both of population and
appropriations. The Federal pay
ment has decreased by third. The
expense of maintaining and develop
ing the Capitals street system,
formerly divided between the COM
munity and the Federal Government.
has been thrown entirely on the
local taxpayer Except for some
Federal-aid appropriations in recent
years. while paved mileage has in
creased a third.
In short, a decreasing proportion
OF residents Of the National Capital
doubtless a much smaller proportion
than in any other city of the coun-
try-is being called upon to pay a
constantly increasing share of the
constantly increasing expense. The
result is that local tax revenues.
with diminishing participation by
the exclusively controlling National
Government in Capital City expenses,
are wholly inadequate to support the
needs of the increased population,
despite an increase of more than
fifty per cent in the city tax burden.
These trends, so plainly established
in the 1920 and 1880 census counts,
become still more marked in 1910.
Until there is realization of the
National Governments real financial
obligation to the National Capital,
the outlook for the future is not
bright either for adequate main
tenance or development of the Cap
ital. For a diminishing area of
taxable property and a diminishing
proportion of local taxpayers cannot
begin to meet the increasing revenue
demands of rapidly growing
community.