Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-02
NEW COUNTY PLAN
CAUSES WIDE STIR.
Proposal to Change Arlington
Government First of
Kind in State.
By . STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

BY a STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.
ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, Va, November 1.-THE pro-
poSal to change the present form Of
County which will be voted upon next
Tuesday, will be tho first attempt of its
kind In Virginia and as such Is viewed
with statewide interest
Prior to the adoption of the new con-
Stitution no change was permitted in
the type of local government, but the
General Assembly. forseeing that the
future would bring about demand for
more modern methods in local govern
ment. ratified this provision in the con-
stitution Until the last session of that
body, however, no attempt was made by
any county to take advantage Of the
provision.
At the last session two bills were In
troduced by Delegate Hugh Reid of
Arlington, and both passed. One of
these acts permits q vote on the adop-
ton Of q commission or county man.
ager form, with abolition Of magis-
| terial districts, or the retention of the
present form, and the second permits q
vote on Incorporation.
A study Of the available forms by the
Civic Federation, Chamber of Com
merce and Bar Association resulted in
the recommendation of the county
manager form with election at large,
the question as to whether either of
the new forms provided in the FIRST act
shall be adopted will be decided at the
polls. The question Of incorporation is
not up at this time, but may be voted
upon at any time upon the presenta-
ton Of q petition to the court asking
| that such an election be held.
The Civic Federation, chief sponsor
OF the change, has conducted an active
campaign In behalf Of the county man.
ager form, bringing 1t to O climax by
| the use Of the radio IS Q means of
reaching the greatest number Of voters.
One Of these programs was held last
night, with City Manager Wallace
Lawrence Of Alexandria as the fea-
tured speaker and the second will be
held Monday night, with State Senator
Frank L. Ball as the main speaker.
Principal opposition to the change has
been by the Voters Service Club of
Arlington County, as represented by
Robert H. Forman, executive secretary,
and has resulted in several tits Of a
somewhat spirited nature.
Claimed Unnecessary Experiment.
The Voters Service Club has attack
ed the proposed change Is an unneces-
Sary experiment at this time claiming
that 1t Will increase the cost Of govern
ment. Forman's attack upon the pro-
posed change has been answered by
Arthur Orr, member Of the special
committee of. the Civic Federation and
by Thomas r. Mechem, q member Of
the local Democratic Committee, the
latter declaring that Porman had at
one time expressed himself as favoring
the plan.
In answer to this Forman declared to-
day that he had made such an express
sion before he was wholly acquainted
with the details Of the proposed change
and before he learned that 1t would be
an additional expense.
Il think the preparation for a
change has been improperly handled
and that an attempt Is being made to
rush the matter through without the
public having ample time to digest Just
what the change means" he declared
I today. Later on" he said, when the
State has provided our bridge APP
proaches and other developments have
been completed think we should in
corporate into q city and see no rea-
son for experimenting in the mean
time"
Increased Expense Denied.
Circulated reports that the adoption
Of the county manager form will re-
suit in a general increase in the cost OF
licenses and other expenses, were denied
today by Robert N. Anderson, chairman
Of the Civic Federation Committee.
These reports have stated variously
that adoption of the plan will result in
an extra license tax for automobiles, ex.
ira license tax on every merchant do
ing business In the county, extra H.
cense tax on all professions, additional
tax increases and permit fees, one-rnan
control, creation of additional Offices
carrying lucrative compensation and 9
scramble for jobs by the proponents Of
tie plan.
Not one Of these reports is true, An
derson declares, under the county man
ager form, although some of then
might be possible, but would not be
obligatory under Incorporation.
1.-THE additional license taxes mention
ed" he SAYS, land which might be as
sembled under o municipal form Of
government was one of the principa
reasons why the committees Of the
three bodies sponsoring the change re-
jeeted the idea Of incorporation"
Control Remains in Board.
The cha. re Of "one-man" control il
equally false. he claims. Explaining thu
duties of the county manager, he say!
that the former will have no voice II
the determination OF county policies
except to the extent the board may asl
hin for advice. The board decides wha
work is to be done and the county man.
ager accom- 'ishes this work In his owl
Way. the board having no authority II
interfere with the methods he employs
The county manager plan advocated
patterned after the city manager plan
In use a. 81 cities Of the State and 40I
cities of the country, he says, and 4
therefore not an experiment As to tn
creation of additional jobs, Anderson
; claims that there Ia no limit to tn
power of the present board OF super
yisors to create new Offices with salarie
! as high as they wish to FIX and tina
there is no reason why the new boart
, should be more disposed 70 abuse tina
. discretion than the board under tn
. present form of government.