Evening star., 1940-03-10
Worst Tax Month in History
Reaches Peak Here This Week
Collection Machinery Overburdened With
Loud Of Returns From Five Levies

u uVS 6SvJSS
Of $l.75 per 500. About 80 per cent
Of real estate taxes are paid half
at time.
The visible" personal tax, levied
on goods, household effects and
other items, Is due in its second half
this month. There is a 81 900 ex-
emption on household effects, but
no exemption for jewelry. This per-
sonal tax was left on the books
when the intangible tax on secu-
rites, with which 1t formerly was
tied, was repealed.
. In the lobby at District Building
many taxpayers were busy yester-
day making out their returns for
the District income tax, but the
crowd was not as great as it had
been before the new law extended
the date for payment.
Many complications face taxpay-
ers in the District and the metro
politan, area over the possibility of
multiple income taxation. One pre-
dicion has gone SO far as to esti-
mate that in certain cases an in
dividual might have to pay four
different taxes on the same income j:
One to the Federal Government and
three to States.
March Heaviest Month.
March usually is the heaviest
month for District tax collections
Of all kinds, according to Collector
Towers. In March, 1889, for in
stance, collections were $500 900,
including two taxes which since
have been Iepealed: The Intangible
tax and the business privilege tax.
But with the addition in March
this year Of the automobile tax and
the payments pouring In from the
new local income tax, Mr.. Towers
estimates March will be far ahead
Of last year. and possibly may break
all records for collections. II, how
ever, his office force is so delueed
it will be unable to take care of all
the mail in March, some of the
ACCOUNTS may 60 over into the April
figures.
Federal income tax returns, which
must be filed by Friday midnight,
with at least one-quarter of the
tax due, may be turned into the
ofiice Of the deputy collector of in
ernal revenue, Room 1902, Revenue
Building. at Twelfth street and Con-
stitution avenue NV. If mail serv-
ice is desired. the returns may be
mailed to the collector of internal
revenue, Baltimore, which is the
headquarters for this area.
Office Hours Announced.
The long lines of taxpayers at
Room 1902 were about the same last
week as they were year ago, Ac-
cording to ofncials. Yesterday when
the line was longest there were 100
persons waiting. the same number
as on the Saturday preceding the
due date last year. The ofilce will
be open beginning tomorrow morn
ing from S:45 am. to S pm. daily,
and on Friday until THE deadline at
midnight.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
probably will be the busiest days,
it was estimated. Sixty experts are
on hand to help the public.
To a great majority of Washing
tonians the Federal income tax re-
turn this year is very similar to the
one last year. The tax rate is 4
per cent on net incomes in the low
bracket and exemptions are the
same: $2.500 for a married person;
81 600 for a single person, and 500
for each dependent.
In nearby Maryland and Virginia,
however, employees of State and local
governments who previously had
been exempt from payment of Fed
erai income tax now must pay the
Federal levy.
Conversely, States have been au-
thorized to tax employees Of the
Federal Government.
Complaint Is arising from nearby
Maryland over the new heavier
State income tax, which has been
raised from . previous rate of u
per cent on net income In lower
brackets to az per cent.
In Virginia, where the State in
come tax return, with 4 rate Of IN
per cent ut lowest, is not due until
June, and payment need not be
made until next December, hun
dreds Of persons were making out
their State return along with their
Federal return, because 1t Is easter
and more accurate. Tax collection
omctals, however, do not want pay.
ments made now in Virginia, since
the levy Is not due until December.
Harry K: Green, commissioner of
revenue for Arlington County, an
nounced that his ONCE in the Ar
nngton County Courthouse is fur
nshing space for Federal experts
from the collectors ONCE to help
persons make out their Federal re-
turns. At the same time, he said.
experts Of his ONCE were helping
Virginians make out their State
returns. His ONCE viii be open this
week from $50 am. to 4:30 nm.
daily, except Thursday and Friday,
when hours Will IoA from ~ ~ y.