Evening star., 1951-05-18
New Discussions
SET on 12D.C
Tax Changes
Senute-House Group
May Center Attention
On Personal Property
By Harold B. Rogers

% Twelve changes in District rev.
enue laws, including repeal Of the
personal property tax on house,
hold goods, will come up again for
consideration Tuesday by a joint
Senate-H House District fiscal SUBJ
committee
The household property levy,
branded by city officials as the
most unpopular and most diff
cult to administer, promises to
provide the principal discussion.
William Press, secretary Of the
Washington Board of Trade, who
will be one of the first witnesses
Tuesday. said today he will sup
port generally the repeal Of the
household goods tax and some
other changes in the revenue law.
Other witnesses are expected to
include Judge Lawrence Koenigs-
berger of the District Board of Tax
Appeals. Herbert Pillen of the
Mercury Press and Controlled Cir
culation Newspapers and Leon A.
Thompson of the Federation Of
Civic Associations.
Closing Gap Doubted.
The contention of city officials
yesterday that the loss of 100000
in revenue from repeal Of the
household tax could be recaptured
by more intensive administration
of the personal property tax on
business was looked on with some
doubt by some members Of the
joint committee today.
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
said the District will need money
this year. He insisted more could
be raised by concentrating on the
personal property tax on business
than on further attempts to ad-
minister the household goods levy.
Many persons never have paid
the tax on their jewelry and
household property, the budget
officer told the joint committee,
although their next-door neigh
bors have been paying regularly
each year.
Senator Hunt, Democrat, Of
Wyoming, chairman Of the sub
committee. pursued the possibility
of getting more money out Of
the household goods tax.
Sees Great Wealth Here
Washington is a city of great
wealth." he said. There are
thousands of dollars in jewelry,
art, musical instruments and
other things, which would pro-
duce very handsome returns, II
properly taxed"
Mr.. Fowler and Acting Assessor
James Martin pointed out, how
ever, that most of the valuable
jewelry and other expensive items
are locked up and not available
for assessment. Attempts to en-
force collections on some taxpay-
ers. Mr.. Martin told the commit
tee, met with many complaints
and objections. This was prob
ably the result of the fact that
no real effort to enforce the law
was made before 1912, he said.
Returns made by taxpayers
now are tested with a formula
based on value of real estate,
Mr.. Martin said. For instance,
he explained. person living in a
$25 900 home normally would pay
a tax on $4,000 worth of house
hold goods. after his $1,000
exemption.
Compromises Explained.
Changes in District Revenue
laws agreed to by District officials
and the District Bar Association
were outlined to the committee
by John w. Ahern of the bar
association.
Vernon West, corporation coun-
sci. explained these compromise
proposals include provisions Of
three bills sponsored by Senator
Hunt. Democrat, of South Caro-
lima.
The compromise provisions on
household property would repeal
the tax on household goods, on
Ijewelry and on boats and con-
tents.
Still taxable. however. would be
tangible personal property, in
cluding household belongings, held
for sale or rent. for use in a trade
or business or on motor vehicles.
District traffic officials have
advanced the new proposal that
the personal property tax on cars
be eliminated and a new weight
tax be placed instead on such We
hicles. This is pending before
the District Commissioners,