Evening star., 1942-08-16
Civic Problems, CivicB Bodies
Tax Exemption Revision Discussed;
District Needs the Municipal Center
By JESSE c. SUTER.

has been into operation and promises the
rubber mileage but creates other problems
interesting development transportation adjunct
brought Star of Thursday the form
picture subway terminal in of construction
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
This will be the hrst OF the kno IN the District and may renocu
with renewed ambition camor subways
despite the engineering report OF its mpractcaby reasonable
solution.
killing pedestrian by Pennsylvania
Fourteenth street NV has started drive pedes
crossing marked crossings Signs
being other warnings will be eeed in yellow the
reported that trash receptacles will carry
similar warnings The latter may prove to be an awful shock to
Division which has shunk from making these
receptacles conspicuous either in color or slogans
Tax Exemption Bill Only Scratches the Surface
widespread interest District Committee
hearing the real property tax exemption bill Oh r. 263 which
continued Friday Saturday
will be resumed tomorrow Besides District officials and some
usually attending hearings there
charity building establishments Then there were
for scientific and professional organizations
maintain headquarters in Washington
hearing being conducted by subcommittee OF the
Senate Chairman Pat McCaran was the
only committeeman present at the first session.
The approving statement OF the Commissioners presented
Corporation showed the assessed value 1910 of
and improvements in the District OF Columbia TO De
time the total of real property exempted
follows United States
property District Of Columbia s737s2oea and privately
owned Sill 794l7s
This means that the total real property exempt
in the total value of all real
nroertv and The property exempt
exclusive Of highways The private
exempt from taxation only per
total value which the bill drawn to
The BILL section, outlines in general terms the diff
eren legally exempted but in
classes of exceptions These a) property
belonging of the District of Co.
bia Co property belonging to foreign governments and useo
legation heretofore specifically exempted
taxation by special act Of Congress- in force at the time
approval of this ac naming the institution to which uch prop
erty belongs
provso requires through the Board of
Tax all such specially exempted property and
report findings with recommendations Other busi-
neke is carried in the bill to check annually the use
exempted properties their continuing by such se
be entitled to the privilege of exemption
careful survey of all the parcels of tax
exempt property by board appointed by with
the properties value of 1894 returned
Those who and testify at the nearing are
chiefly the properties which been taken
of the free list.
is estimated pending bill would put about half OF
these back on the exemption lists
The problem handling equitable manner this prop
erty cent the total value and at the same time
protecting against imposition is recognized
as difhcu difficult as the fiscal
equity problem beneficiary of exemption
the and those property owners 1t relieves
taxation for national or international reasons
educational institutions art galleries. libraries cna
building organizations and charity organizations are all na
rally exempted performing valuable community services In
not for these privately operated concerns
would be necessary maintain such institutions at
public The fact that OF them serve only their own
faith kind have some paying guests does not oihS e
value to the community.
have for teen anxious to have the
District exempted from local taxation because OF
national considerations that the United States
annually into the revenues Of the District an amount
the lost to the DISTRICT hfoug SUCH
exemptions from taxation
The foreign property of the nations and
their the United States and not OF
District of Columbia
The same reasoning logically applies national institutions
located National Capathey Uncle
and they his natural burden in the
protection They here because ne
and not because of this local community and It's private
taxpayers. ,..
But the hearing consider the biggest
=, oil ax EXEMPT property owners-Uncle
pess Law another definite principle there
would be- of the Districts major problem OF
fiscal equity
The United Efficiency its of 1880
the problems District Of Columbia offered as partial
solution recognition the principle that the Federal Govern
obligation meet fair share OF the cost OF
running developing the National Capital This oogauo
would be fulfilled through the United
States Treasury of equivalent sum in lieu Of taxes
principle ndorsed by the Seventy
application in the States to meet the slua
ton arising Federal Government has under Its OF
eminent domain in the States and municipalities
such the ehaotaon otrual areas OF su
clearance work.
Under legislation the Resettement Administration and
the Public authorized to enter into
agreement with political subdivision for the
of sums only limitation being that the amount
so paid to what the tax of the
State subdivision would have been the property were
taxed to he amount as other real property
foregoing doctrine eXpounded by the Czens Jon
Committee in argument submitted to the
Jacobs pertinent in connection with
the 2e73 ITO define the real property exempt
from in the District OF Columbia
District Governments Own Housing Problem
For many the operation Of the District
has been hampered OF its
unts were improperly housed The cure OF much
Of this scheduled to end for time at least upon
neton Of the Municipal Center The needs
urgent that upon Its compeon
v one half Of the building turned to that i'm
portant understood however that the space USED