Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-10
|Cigdfefie'Tax
Revenue
Here Studied
Yearly Decrease in
Receipts Muy Be as
HIGH as $780, 900

The District government Is I'M
|dertaking a comprehensive study
of the loss in q cigarette tax
revenue that may be running as
high as 100000 annually.
District Collector Of Taxes
Guy w. Pearson, in his yearly
review today, pointed out while
Nation wide income from ciga-
Irettes continues to rise, the Dis
|trict's revenue from this source
lis dropping.
Mr.. Pearson advised the Dis
Itrict Commissioners:
This condition is attributable
in part to purchase Of untaxed
cigarettes by District residents
lin adjacent communities not
taxing cigarettes. and partly 70
improper. if not illegal, sales "a
consumers by local wholesalers
and distributors.
"A comprehensive study OF
this situation is now being con-
Quoted to determine whether OF
mot the present law and regula-
ltionS are being violated, ade-
quacy Of present law and regu-
Ilations to cope with present con-
ditions, and further need for new
or amended law for essential
controls for the procurement,
inventory and sale of cigarettes
in the District of Columbia"
Methods of Collections
Cigarette taxes here are COL
lected by the sale of tax stamps
or tax meter impressions, 2 cents
per package of 20; 6 cents per
package Of so; 10 cents per pack
age Of 100, or by assessment
when the examination of deal
er's cigarette stocks and records
indicate such action to be nec-
esSary and warranted, Mr.. Pear
son explained.
Other department heads sub.
mitted their annual reports also
Included among them were:
Police Chief Robert ". Muir.
ray reported while there was q
slight increase in serious crimes
during the fiscal year ended
June 80, statistics for the last
six months indicated a IL pei
cent decrease under the same
period Of 1855. But the reports
of the Federal Bureau of hives.
ltigation indicate a 14.4 per cent
Nationwide increase. Although
a peak Of accomplishment" has
been attained, the department
does not intend to lessen its
efforts, he said.
with the increased force now
available, and with the increas.
ingly professional devotion tt
duty on the part of the individ.
ual officers, the citizens of the
District may look forward tc
even more and better polio
service. Chief Murray declared
Fire Loss Increases
| Fire Chief Willard H. Sutton
said. compared with the fiscaI
year 1855, property fire loss in.
creased from 1897, 1895 to 81.
716,f20 during the past fiscal
year. He pointed out deaths
from fire also increased from "a
TO 81, as did injured from lis
to 21O.
| The fire chief said false alarms
continue a steady climb ano
said there is a definite relation.
ship between school children and
false alarms. as shown by a be-
lhaviol pattern in statistics
School hours and school days
show jump in the false alarms
he said. But an educational pro-
gram has been instituted with
the aid of school officials, he
declared.
Juvenile Court held 1914:
hearings during the fiscal veal
1856. Informations were filed If
l,796 adult cases. an increase Of
276 cases. The court also has
jurisdiction in matters Of pat.
ernity of children born out o.
wedlock. adults charged with
violations of the child labor anc
compulsory education laws anC
with contributing to the de.
Ilinquency of minors. There wert
1881 petitions involving ju.
veniles. 1t said the court calen.
dar is current.