Evening star., 1932-02-26
BROADER POWERS
SOUGHT BY POLLARD.
Governor Seeks Authority to
Remove 0fficiaIS-ArIington
Case Discussed.
BY a STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.

Arlington CountyS nnanclal problems,
Gov. John Garland Pollard moved to
obtain legislation in the General As
sembly to permit him to remove county
and city treasurers from office pending
investigation OF their accounts.
Both the County Board and the
School Board of Arlington County.
which are without funds for necessary
expenses as result of the alleged
shortage in the funds of County Treas
urer E. Wade Ball. were provided yes
terday and last night with the means
to obtain sufficient money to relieve
them until the Arlington County finan-
cial situation can be arranged.
Gov. John Garland Pollard last night
signed bill giving the County Board
of Arlington County the right to i'm
mediately borrow funds up to three
fourths of the years anticipated
revenue.
Confer on State Aid.
Yesterday afternoon Delegate Hugh
Reid, Fletcher Kemp, superintendent of
schools, and Thomas N. De Lashmutt
chairman Of the Arlington County
School Board, conferred at length with
the attorney general and later with DR..
Sidney B. Hall, superintendent of pub
lie instruction, as to the legal possibili-
ties of State aid in the Arlington Coun-
ty Emergency. This was followed by an
executive session with the entire State
Board of Education, at which the
Arlington County representatives went
into the minute details of the entire
Arlington County emergency.
At the close of the conference the
Arlington County delegation expressed
themselves as satifled that a satisfac-
tory solution Of the bond problem had
been arranged, but that, as the pros
pective settlement was conditioned upon
the formal opinion of the attorney gen.
eral. they did not feel it proper to
discuss the details before the formula
tion of exact terms. They felt, how
ever, that the credit of the county was
assured. that the bonds in default would
be paid off shortly and that funds
would be forthcoming to meet additional
bonds maturing April i totaling $40, ,000
The problem of current expenses and
the payment OF interest on both the
defaulted bonds and those maturing in
April will apparently have to be met as
a local problem. There seems to be no
doubt, however, 1t was said by the dele
cation, that the School Board has ample
authority to negotiate bank loans i'm
meet both of these items. Should
proper local loans be successfully nego-
tiated and the outstanding bonded in
debtedness taken care of promptly, the
danger of closing the schools would ap-
pear to be at an end, although drastic
economies may have to be spracticed. 1t
was said, as all of the obligations will
have to be met out of revenues for the
current year and all loans retired prior
to January /, 1888.
Optimistic on Situation.
Kemp and De Lashmutt left Rich
mond in an optimistic mood, which in
dicated success, but we're hesitant to
announce the completion of their plans
until after the matter had been passed
upon by the other county authorities
whose cooperation is necessary. 1t
was indicated by Delegate Hugh Reid
however, that there was no further
cause for worry with respect to the
school situation.
BY the signing by the GOVERNOR of
the bill which will permit the imme-
diate borrowing of funds the Arlington
County Board is given the right to ac-
cept the offer of loan Of 100000 by
an Alexandria bank with which the
county has been transacting business
for many years
One of the first items to be cared for
by the friends of the Arlington County
treasurer, it was said here today, is the
S24 ,472.64 which is due the State
treasury from the January collection Of
license and capitation taxes in Arling-
ton County
That this amount is due was re-
vealed yesterday by State Controller E.
r. Combs. At the same time he said
that it will be impossible to determine
the exact amount of the alleged Short
age until after the audit has been COM
pleted and the result transmitted to
the Governor
Ashton c. Dovell of williamsburg,
floor leader: Wilbur C. Hall of Loudoun
County and other delegates were
patrons of an administration bill in
troduced yesterday to permit the Gov
ernor to suspend a treasurer and in
stitute custer proceedings when the
chief executive believes the treasurer
has failed in his duties in the collection,
revenues.
The bill would remedy the defect in
the present law. under which the
Supreme Court of Appeals held as un-
constitutional the efforts of Gov.
Pollard to remove the treasurer of Lee
County last year The Supreme Court
said that the law was unconstitutional
in that it did not provide for a hearing
and that unconstitutionality existed
despite the fact that the Governor did
give a hearing to the treasurer in
question.
Suspension Is Provided.
Under the provisions of the bill Of
hn
suspended and prevented from collect
ing State or local revenues pending the
outcome of the custer proceedings and
the successor appointed to act would
receive the compensation of the incum-
bent during such time as the successor
might act.
The custer proceedings would consti-
tute a civil action and provision is made
for an appeal by both sides, which ap-
peal would have to be taken within 80
days.
While the Governor has had such a
bill in mind, it is said that the intro
duction of the measure was hastened
by the Arlington County situation
Delegate Hall also introduced yester-
day a bill amending the tax code to
make the holding out of tax tickets"
by treasurers misdemeanor, punish
able by fine Of from SlO0 to $500 for
each case. The bill further provides
that such action on the part of the
treasurer shall constitute malfeasance
In Office in case of conviction.
Tickets are sometimes omitted by
treasurerS from the delinquent list to
save their friends from the payment of
the per cent penalty charged for
failure to pay taxes on time. Many of
these friends" fail to keep their
promise and the treasurer is out the
amount of money due.
A peculiar situation developed yeSter-
day with respect to the bill by which
Arlington County was given the right
to Immediately borrow funds. The
original bill was introduced in the
Senate by Senator Robinette for the
sole benefit of Lee County and amended
in the House to include Franklin and
Arlington Counties. AS finally passed
and signed by the Governor. however.
it was for the sole benefit of Arlington