Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-13

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on a par with those in nearby
stantially higher than those in
Jurisdictions. They trail only
those in Montgomery County,
Md, the officials said.
Mr.. Back also reported that
District general fund taxes
which include the real estate
tax-have rocketed $30.5 million
in the last three years. Local
taxpayers this year will pay this
much more than in 1854 when
Congress instituted drastic Dis
trict tax increases.
The sos million Jump doesn't
count increased gasoline, water
and sewer levies, which feed into
separate funds.
Study Cited in Debate
City officials drew on a newly
completed study in their con-
tention that District real estate
isn't undertaxed. The study was
cited, in part. in Tuesday Senate
floor debate.
Senator Morse. Democrat of
Oregon. meanwhile. said today
he would push for action on his
proposal for a new tax study
comparing the real estate tax
load borne by District residents
with that Of other cities Of COM
parable size.
He said he had not yet out
lined details of this study but
that he expected it to be COM
pleted within the next month.
and certainly before the end of
the present session of Congress.
Douglas Raises Issue
Senator Morse proposed this
new study on Tuesday during
debate over the Districts 1858
city supply bill for the year be-
ginning July /. when Senator
Douglas. Democrat of Illinois,
raised questions as to whether
realty taxes here are below those
in the adjoining counties of
Maryland and Virginia.
Senator Douglas said he IA
vored the objectives Of members
Of the Senate District Commit
tee, led by Senator Morse, for
increases in appropriations for
welfare. health and education.
The Illinoisan used the argu-
ment that Capital real estate
levies are tagging in helping to
defeat q move TO lift the Fed
eral payment to the city to the
authorized $23 million. The
Senate left it at sos million.
He wondered why there should
not be an increase in the Dis
trict real estate tax instead.
Mr.. Lowe and Mr.. Back. using
what they termed effective
rates" rather than the actual
real estate tax charges levied
by area localities. gave these
comparisons:
District = Effective rate of
about $l.15 to $1.38 per 500
of market value. Actual rate of
So 80 per 500 of assessed valua-
ton.
Montgomery County = Effec-
tive rate of about $l.l5 to S1.94
per 500 of market value. de-
pending on the location of the
property and the services rem
dered. Actual rates vary from a
base of $3.50 to 1923 per 500
Of assessed valuation.
Prince Georges County-Ef-
fective rate of about $l.21 to
l$l.58 per $500 Of market value,
depending on location of prop
erty and the services rendered.
Actual rates vary from a base of
$2.425 to $2.6325 per 500 Of as
sessed valuation.
Arlington County - Effective
rate of about $l08 per 500 of
market value. Actual rate OF
1924 per 500 OF assessed valua-
ton.
Alexandria-Effective rate OF
about 81 per 500 of market
value. Actual rate of $2.75 per
500 Of assessed valuation.
Fairfax COMMUNICATIVE rate
of about $1.08 to $l.10 per 500
Of market value. Actual rates
vary from a base of $3.25 to 1891
per 500 of assessed valuation.
The study showed that as
sessed valuations in the District
and the two Maryland counties
range from so to so per cent OF
current market value for most
properties.
In Arlington. it said, assess
ments are about a third OF cur
rent market value. In Alex
andria. they are about 42.5 per
cent of appraised value or 80 to
80 per cent of current market
value. In Fairfax County, the
assessments are about 80 per
cent OF market value. and there
is also a fiat $l8 refuse col
lection fee.
Mr.. Lowe said he felt that
in general the study was pretty
much a complete refutation" OF
Senator Douglass contentious.
The flaw in the Illinois Sena-
tors stand, the city administra-
tor said, is that he was basinR
1t on the official tax rates. But
these are meaningless. Mr.. Lowe
pointed out, without considering
the assessments.
Cites Virginia Situation
Citing the Virginia situation in
particular. Mr.. Lowe noted that
all three Virginia communities
have higher tax rates thar
either the District or the Mary
land suburbs. But the Virginia
assessments, by contrast. are
much lower, he pointed out.
Mr.. Lowe strongly defended
the Districts entire present tas
structure. and he was Joined In
this by Commissioner David B