Evening star., 1947-01-25
Real. Estate Tax
Share in DC.
levies Studied
Chairman Butes of
House Unit Gives
Problem Top Priority

Problem Top Priority
To determine whether or not
the real estate tax here is car
rying it's full share of the District
tax burden, Representative Bates
Republican, of Massachusetts,, is
making comprehensive study
of the returns from this levy
here and in other cities.
This problem has been given first
priority in an exhaustive inveStiga-
tion into District finances by Mr..
Bates in his capacity as chairman
of the House District subcommittee
on fiscal affairs.
All sources of revenue available
in this city, including eventually the
Commissioners proposed eight
point tax program, will be scruti-
nized closely, Mr.. Bates said.
He hopes to receive soon the pro-
posed measures for about $4,000
900 in new local taxes, designed by
District fiscal officers to help meet
the huge deficit faced by the city
next year: sSss s.ssa..
Census Reports Requested.
Figures are being obtained, Mr..
Bates said, from the District Build
ing on the amounts raised not only
by the real estate tax, but by all
other leyies over the last 10 years.
He has asked for assessed values
on real estate and its recent sale
prices.
Furthermore, he has asked the
Bureau of the Census to prepare
for him reports from other cities OF
the country, comparable in size, to
learn what proportion of the total
tax burden is borne by the real
estate tax, and what share by other
levies.
Meanwhile, Tax Assessor Edward
A. Dent announced $182,076, 900 had
been added to the total assessed
value of real property here through
a year-long study by the Board of
Assistant Assessors for Real Estate.
The review has raised the overall
assessed valuation of real estate to
approximately $1,578, ,083 200, an in
crease of about % per cent, Mr.. Dent
said.
If the present rate of SITS per
500 were to remain unchanged, the
revaluation could result in an addi-
tional 100000 in real estate taxes
for the fiscal year beginning July
/, he added. However, Mr.. Dent
pointed out the Commissioners
budget estimates for the new year
already had taken into account this
expected added revenue.
Property owners who believe they
can prove their holdings have not
improved since the last survey must
file their claims with the Board
of Equalization and Review before
the first Monday in April.
Bills based on the new assess
ments will be mailed during July
and will be payable by halves in
September and March.
Mr.. Bates said ne approved MI.
Dents program for revising as
sessments upward. He added he
understood Informally real estate
was bearing 40 to As per cent OF
the tax load here.
Lump Sum Involved.
Having studied carefully the Dis
trict's $95, 100000 budget, Mr.. Bates
said he realized fully that upward
of 10000, 900 more revenue may be
needed. The problem of how to
meet this, he said, involves not only
analysis of present revenue laws but
two other highly important factors
the proposed new taxes and the
lump sum payment made by the
Federal Government toward Dis
trict expenses.
"I realize there is moral obll-
CATION of the Federal Government"
he said, Ito appropriate this lump
sum toward District support. 1t Is
part and parcel of the whole prob
lem of District finances. 1t ties in
with the vital question of how much
local revenue can be raised by the
real estate tax, because of the large
amount of federally owned tax-free
land here"
Mr.. Bates said, however, there
should be a careful study made OF
the advantages to the city gained
by the Federal Government taking
over low priced and rundown prop
erty here, erecting large office build
ings, and filling them with Govern
ment workers, whose income helps
to support the economy of the city
and adds to its tax revenues.
Joint Study Proposed.
Declaring an overall study of the
Districts financial picture could
we'll be made jointly by his COM
mittee and its companion group,
the Senate District fiscal subcom-
mittee, Mr.. Bates said he had for
mally suggested the proposal to
Chairman Flanders of the Senate
unit. He said he also hopes for
joint hearings by the two subcom-
mittees, whenever possible.
The sales tax, one of the contro-
versial features of the Districts new
revenue program, was characterized
by Mr.. Bates as one OF the most
repressive' levies and one to which
much objection was made. There
is no sales tax in his home State,
he said.
Student Disguise