Evening star., 1941-02-09
BY DON S. WARREN.


Restoration to the District realty
tax rolls of properties valued at
more than three-quarters of a mil
lion dollars, which would bring
more than $4,000 into the mu-
nicipal tillS each year, was ordered
yesterday by the Commissioners as
they acted on the first mere handful
of an eventual 2,00O-odd tax exemp-
ton cases to be reviewed.
Somewhat startled by the results
so far, the Commissioners revealed
they had rejected continued tax
exemption in five of IA cases so far
reviewed in acting on recommended
tions submitted by a special COM
mittee of District officials. They
were surprised at the results so far
since it was announced the first IA
cases were not 'hand-picked" but
were taken from the exemption list
only according to serial numbers.
Walter L. Fowler. assistant cor
poration counsel, who heads the Re-
view Board, predicted that when
the entire present tax exemption
list has been re-examined prop
critics having assessed values run
ming INTO millions of dollars may
be added to the tax rolls.
At the same time, it was agreed
tnat owners of properties which may
be knocked off the exemption list
may petition the Commissioners for
reconsideration, may apply to Con-
gress for special acts granting
exemption, or may take the con-
tests to court for review. Mr..
Fowler said the board has prepared
recommendations on about a dozen
additional cases which are to be
submitted to the city heads for
action within a few days Reports
are to be- filed on each case of past
private property tax exemption.
Continuation Denied.
Continuation of tax exemption
was denied by the Commissioners in
the following cases:
American Pharmaceutical Asso-
citation, Inc. for its monumental
national headquarters building near
TWenty-Second street and Constl-
tuition avenue NV. the annual tax
on which would be S7,854
The Phillips Memorial Art GAL
lery, Inc. for the art museum at the
northwest corner of Twenty-frst
and @ streets NV, the annual tax
being S3.482.
The parking lot at the southeast
corner of Twenty-second and H
streets NV, owned by George
Washington University, and used
by members of the faculty and stu
denty body, the tax annually to be
$1,661.
Gethsemane Baptist Church,
Twenty-second street and Virginia
avenue NV, for only that portion
of the church property used for
Janitor's quarters. consisting of five
rooms and bath. The Commission
ers accepted the remainder as prop
erly tax exempt. The Board of Real
Estate Appraisers was directed to
determine how much the tax should
be for the janitors quarters.
st. AIMS Home, home for aged
colored women, owned by the con-
Vention of the Protestant Episcopal
Church of the Washington diocese,
at 2224 N street NV, on which an
annual tax of $3.50 was computed.
These properties the Commits
sioners ordered placed on the tax
rolls so days after the formal
orders are issued. The total annual
tax bills in the five cases would be
$13,257, not counting the small
sum" expected to be charged for
the janitor's quarters at the Geth-
semane Baptist Church. A total of
about one-quarter of this sum would
be due for roughly the last three
months of this fiscal year ending
June 30.
Serving with Mr.. Fowler on the
board investigating private property
tax exemption are Benjamin F.
Adams. assistant assessor, and Dis
trict Surveyor F. F. Healy. 1t is
expected they will be busy for
months to come on the work, since
the city heads directed them to re-
view each and every item of private
(See TAX. Page AID