Evening star., 1927-11-20

put into effect a well defined program
which will insure q scientific and or
| derly development of the welfare of
this county. not only as a separate
political unit. but also as part of
the greater metropolitan area of the
District of Columbia"
Mr.. Ball does not agree with Mr..
McNemar and others who discount
the loss of revenue which would be
sustained if the county became city.
He is frankly opposed to the separate
incorporation of Arlington County at
this time. although he believes In the
principal Of the enabling act. which
would let the people of the county
decide that question for themselves.
For that reason he piloted the meas.
IRE through the State Senate last
Spring.
Effect on Roads Program.
When Mr.. Ball was asked to com.
ment on the revenue feature OF the
city proposal. as applied to Arlington
County alone. he said:
Before I introduced the act the
people knew that I was not commit
ting myself I'm favor of incorporation,
but that / was against Incorporation
at this time. We should not be too
hasty. In the Fail of 1928 about 1870
amendments to the State constitution
will be voted upon-practically a new
constitution-and these will make 1t
possible for counties to have optional
forms of government. as cities in the
State now have.
Then, too, We must not overlook
the loss of the State road money
which Arlington County would sus-
tain if it became a city. 1t would
mean that the Lee Boulevard to the
Arlington Memorial Bridge would
have to be built by the county. and it
will cost at least S250,000. as it will
run clear across the county. Also
the Glebe Road from Chain Bridge to
Alexandria would have to be com.
| pleted by the county without State
ald. III we became a city, we would
also have to take over the two main
| highways in the county now main.
tanned by the State--the Lee Highway
and the Richmond Washington Road.
This is very important. because nearly
all of the Lee Highway within the
| county needs to be rebuilt. The State
is now laying plans 10 rebuild it, and
we EXPECT that the money will be
available from the State treasury for
use next year. Many think that in.
| corporation should be postponed at
| least until the State has built the
Lee Boulevard and rebuilt the
| Lee Highway.
Charles r. Jesse, who used his posi-.
tlon as delegate from Arlington Coun.
| ty to the lower house of the General
Assembly to defeat the enabling act
last Spring, takes much the same posi-.
ton with regard to the advisability Of
I present cityhood as Mr.. Ball The dif.
ference is that Mr.. Jesse is against
the enabling act, while Mr.. Ball is
willing that it should become a law.
Would Lose State Revenue.
Mr. Jesse calls attention to the fact
that the State collects a gasoline tax
OF AZ cents a gallon, OF which il
spends cents on State highways and
distributes 1ts cents to the counties
Arlington received about 100000 last
year as its share from this source.
our total revenues from local as
sessments." said MFR. Jesse, ARE about
Sl50,Oo0, which gives us about $21O.
600 annually to spend in the county
Under the Virginia laws no part OF
the gasoline tax Is permitted to %,
spent in incorporated cities. Then
too, the State Highway Commission
builds State roads only to the cor
porate limits Of cities, and all roads
within the limits OF cities must be
built and maintained from revenue
derived from city property. Outsile
of the cities the State highways are
maintained entirely by State funds
without any aid whatever from the
counties.
1--WE have approximately II miles o.
State highways In this county. which
!, are maintained exclusively by the
: State. They are being Strengthened
and improved by the State. and addi
, tional roads are to be built by thu
, State. 1t is estimated that severa
hundred thousand dollars will be spen
, in the county within the next few
! years in Strengthening and improving
existing State highways. If the coun
ty became incorporated, all of thi
work would have to bs done by tn,