Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-03
.Lusk Offers 6-Point
Program 10 Reduce
Taxes in District
48 to 81 Hour Week
And Cut in Department
Stoffs Proposed

Declaring that We should ration"
taxes as we are doing with most
other things, Rufus S. Lusk, presi-
dent of the Washington Taxpayers
Association, yesterday urged civic
groups to impress on municipal ON
Gals the need Of finding ways OF
cutting taxes in the District.
Speaking before the Dupont Circle
Citizens Association at the May
flower Hotel. Mr.. Lusk said there
should be determined disposition
on the part of the Commissioners to
figure ways to cut taxes, but that
unfortunately they get little encour-
agement from citizens who usually
come before them with pleas 10
spend more money.
Commenting upon the real estate
tax rate in the District, Mr.. Lusk
said that few cities in America were
so fortunate as Washington IN hav-
ing such low rates for business ano
residential property.
improvements Out.
"All capital improvements are
completely out for the duration
which in the District means over
| IS, 00O, 900 annually" Mr.. Lusk said.
II think any surplus from this OF
other savings should be applied to q
cut in real and personal taxes.
Using these savings to be applied
upon the District debt. as has been
advocated by some, will give no i'm
mediate relief, and relief is what We
need now in the face of ever-risine
Federal taxes Mr.. Lusk said.
Explaining that many munlclpa
costs must rise and that Police
Fire and Health Departments anc
the civilian defense all will neec
more money, Mr., Lusk offered tht
following suggestions. which he sale
were drastic, but no more thar
the taxpayer who does not work fol
the Government will become accus
toned to-:
/. A 48 to 81 hour work week, with
corresponding reduction in per-
sonnet This would reduce the Dis
trict's staff by perhaps 1000, ever
when not applied to policemen, fire
men and school teachers.
! 2. A drastic slashing of stafts IL
departments which will have littl'
or nothing to do due to WARTIME
shortages and curtailments. Thi
would include inspection forces
architectural stats, the highway de
partments, etc.
3. A teaming up or consolidation
of the work Of small sections ant
departments.
One-M Man Scout Cars.
4. One-man operation of the po
lice scout cars. With the war man
power shortage, this was declared
a necessity now.
5. The elimination of all relic
except to the helpless. This woult
mean scaling down to almost zer'
our public assistance division.
6. A denomination of all old-ag'
pension cases. Those able to worl
should be made to do so at jobs nov
open to those over IS years of age.
These suggestions, he said, shoul'
be urged upon .,the Commissioners
thes.Bdteau bf the Budget and hpol
Congress. =
| A resolution was adopted calling
| for a study of the action taken b.
the Commissioners on the Grif1en
hagen report. which stated tina
there are 50 agencies in the Distric
government and % Federal agencie
rendering local services in the Dis
trict. The associations Tax Com
mittee. was asked to report on thi
action at the January meeting.
| The association. which was pre-
sided over by William Clark Taylor
was shown a movie depicting Wa
Fund work.