Evening star., 1941-03-09
Civic Problems, CivicB
Municipal Assembly Plan Hit;
Overton Plan Held Simple Solution
BY JESSE C. SUTER.

The most notable of the
annual dinner of the Federation of Citizens
in of completion OF 81 work for the
community attended credit to
the Assembly of the Federation and the IS embe organizations
Tie dinner the anniversary date, March
Thursday the Subcommittee
House Committees the District Columbia held joint hearing
the overton plan for equitable apporonment of the
financial support of the District between the District taxpayers and
the Federal This merely preliminary hearing
with members of the Senate and House Committees and public Off
ca participating The subcommittee will hold independent
public hearings on the measure.
The sudden death Riley chairman the Public
Utilities Commission occurred suddenly Friday February
funeral Monday attended number of
civic workers. public utility officials and representatives of
the District government.
Elgen Engineer
sole member of the the vacancy caused by the es
Richmond Keech ago. had
filled On Monday the President sent to the Senate the nomination
either civic organization public
utility circles Hearings nomination will be held by SUBJ
McCarran.
To be qualified civilian member of the Public Utilities
Commission person must be legal resident for three years i'm
identical
eligibility requirements for civilian District Commissioners
Leaders Believe Overton Plan Has a Chance
Civic leaders especially hopeful that the overon plan for
equitable fiscal relations between the District and
United will by the session
Congress- This only "whfu thinking have been
remains that present condi
ons with the rapidly mounting burdens the District make
for Federal do better than the
past.
explanation at the hearing by the
by Commissioner MCoach testimony
Chester Rghtor chief statistcn Division and
Local Governments of the have profound
citizens hopeful of
the equally impressed always
raising question the
District Some OF the gentlemen the Hill always fearful that
the District is getting off with exceptionally low taxes
Rightor cities in 1889, Washington
ranked sixth the list with respect to tax burden and third from
the highest in cost of operation.
The fiscal relations problem problem nsep
enactng sound and equitable
indicates added for payment by the
United States of liberal share of the cost OF operating MAIN
National Capital In recent ega
difficulty is to frame law which will appear fair
legal This is important to members of
Congress such people their voting constituents
While division of operating that question
of these direct taxes were re-
resident of the District voting resident OF
State equal footing as to taxes
when $3.50 6040 the rule, the
tuition nonresdents in the public schools was
accepted matter of course because
Uncle covering that in the liberal Feoer payment 6u
arbitrary payment superseded the dehe pro-
picture changed completely Ihat lump
be stretched SO as to cover these
created by the growth OF the Federal estao
ment.
The overon the share of the United
States which the of real estate
Government bears to the area Of the taxable
real estate deduction of park area made from the Gov
ernnnent holdings before figuring the percentage
this plan civic fiscal relations committee
that Oveon plan clearly taVors the
Government modest share than true equities would
REQUIRE however that its simplicity and its very
the Government should insure It's adopon
The substitution proportion plan for the haphazard
urn sum method predicted make for har
monious relations the District and Congress