Evening star., 1945-12-19

Quoted. Then from the total area
owned by the United States there
would be deducted the park areas,
the lands managed by the Army
engineers and the lands under the
architect of the Capitol, after al
loWance Is made for United States
land used by the District.
The formula thus drawn results
IN percentage amounting to 1856
because the total adjusted District
OF Columbia area is 80, ,095 acres and
the adjusted United States land area
is 6,178 acres"
The eeney-Merrick-Scott report
brings out in precise and concise
manner many of the unparalleled
situations which confront the Dis
trict because this is the National
Capital.
1t describes how the Federal pay
ment once was so per cent of Dis
trict costs, under Federal law, and
how this was cut to 40-60 and, since
1925 to the lump sum system under
which the Federal percentage has
decreased as the budget totals con-
tinued to rise.
Acquisitions Lessen Revenue.
1T must be remembered" the re-
port states, that the area of the
District is limited. The amount of
taxes to be derived from real prop
erty Is therefore also limited. In
fact, it is lessened every time the
Federal Government purchases ad-
ditional property and every time
Congress sets aside a tract of land
for some special purpose"
In this regard, the report brings
out that at the present time there
are plans for the Government to ac-
quire additional properties now
valued for tax purposes at nearly
$4o, ,oO0,O 900, most of which now is on
the tax rolls.
Ihe Feeney-Merrick- Scott report
said the prospective tax loss to the
District from these four groups of
amounted to more than
$500, 900 900 annually. TN addition.
there must be considered the fact
that located within the areas pro-
posed to be acquired are 20 churches
OF different denominations, 3 public
schools and parochial schools.
Many of these will be moved to
other locations, which will then be-
come tax exempt and thus be re-
from the tax rolls"
Park Costs Cited.
In a discussion of the park system
Of the District, under the jurisdic-
ton of the National Capital Park
Office of the Interior Department.
the report cites rising District costs
there and adds:
1t Is quite evident, therefore, that
Congress has been conscious of its
responsibility for the DEVELOPMENT of
the parks in a manner befitting the
Nations Capital. It does not ap-
pear, however, that adequate pro-
vision has been made for providing
the Nations share for the purchase
and upkeep of these parks. On the
other hand, the residents of the
District have had to bear more than
their just share"
In an attack on the lump sum pay
ment system, the report concludes:
The enormous increase in expenses
Of the District in the past 10 years
has been occasioned by the tremen-
dous expansion Of the Federal Gov
with no commensurate in
crease in the payment OF the Fed
eral Government. During the past
six years there has been no change
in the amount of the annual pay
ment." 1t noted also that the taxi
burden on District residents had
Attention also was directed to the
fact that in the last 10 years the
amount Of water given free to the
United States had increased by 76l
per cent, from q gallonage valued at
s407 300 in 1945 to $717,5O0 In the
fiscal year 1945.