Evening star., 1943-09-05
Tax Base in District
Rises S27,355,9O5
Over Last Years

Real estate values in the District,
on which tax assessments for this
fiscal year are based have reached
new high Of $1,354,348, ,72o, Tax As
sesor Edward A. Dent reported yes
terday. Bills for the first half-pay-
ment, due by the end of this month,
now are being sent to property
owners.
This assessment base is a net in
crease of $27, 1855 ,905 over the valua-
ton level for the last fiscal year.
This increase was not as high,
however, as that of last years over
the 194l-l942 fiscal year, when the
assessment base jumped $50, ,7o4 1886.
Other Increases Noted,
An even more gratifying increase
was reported by Mr.. Dent for seven
major revenue sources for the past
year as compared with the previous
year and three years ago. The as
SCISSOR submitted figures to the Com
nissioners showing that during the
past fiscal year, ended June 30, tax
collections from these sources totaled
$38, $50 ,S59.
This constituted in increase of
more than $3,826,000 over the past
fiscal year. and an increase of more
than $9,393,000 over collections in
1910. A large part of these increases
was attributed by District officials
to the drive the assessing division
has been making In recent years to
force full reports and tax payments
from District residents and busi-
nesses and the remainder to the
growth of Washington and its busi-
nesses.
The collections outlined included
taxes on real property, individual
and corporate District incomes, in
heritance and estates and on public
utilities, banks and other institu-
tions.
Corporate Incomes High.
Outstanding was the increase in
the District tax on corporate income.
This amounted to 81 ,260 900 over the
1912 fiscal year and an increase of
S3,513,000 over the 1910 fiscal year
collections, totaling but 1856 900.
The motor vehicle personal property
tax collections in the past fiscal
year showed a decrease over the
previous year, due to the affects of
gasoline rationing.
Mr.. Dent also revealed that per-
sonal property taxes assessed for
this fiscal year, in keeping with re-
turns filed during July, last, would
result in total tax of $2.488,4O2
or an increase of more than $257 900
over collections indicated year ago.
However, by the end of the past
fiscal year personal property collec-
tions totaled some $2,700O00 and
Mr.. Dent anticipates this years COL
lections will be raised to $4,000, 900
by the end of the year, due to audits
and discovery of new accounts.
In summation for the past fiscal
year, Mr.. Dent showed that the total
of valuations placed on all land and
buildings in the District as of June
80, last, was $2,210,461,712. OF this
huge amount, only $1,326, 1892 ,815 is
taxed by the District-about so per
cent of the total value.
Federal Property Growing.
The value of properties owned by
the United States and, therefore,
not taxable, was placed at $500, 1885,
OBI, or more than 81 per cent of the
total and more than so per cent of
the value of the property actually
taxed by the District.
The ownership of the 31,04914
acres of land in the District as re-
corded in the tax records for the
past fiscal year was divided as fol-
lows: taxable area, 51.8 per cent;
owned by the United States, 40.2 per
cent; owned by the District Govern
ment, 80 per cent; miscellaneous
properties held by church, char
liable and other exempt institutions,
48 per cent.
Indicating the better economic
conditions attributable to wartime
employment, wages and business
opportunities, the reports showed a
great decline in number of tax deeds
sold last year for non-payment of
tax bills.