Evening star., 1946-10-20
Virginia Levy
0nU.S.Property
Urged byGreen
Revenue Chief Sees
S., 500, 900 Gain
For Arlington

Arlington would receive more than
$3,500,000 in additional revenue if
the Federal Government becomes
subject to taxation on it's holdings
In the county, Harry K. Green, COM
missioner of revenue, estimated yes
terday.
Mr.. Green appealed to Virginia
voters to support 100 per cent" the
proposed amendment to the. Vir-
ginia constitution which would re-
move the present tax exemption
granted to Federal property in cases
where the United States consents
to be taxed. The referendum will be
held at the November S election.
The commissioner noted the SINH
larity between Arlington's tax prob
lem and that of the District of
Columbia. He said:
There is no section of the United
States suffering so much from the
loss of taxation because of Federal
acquisitions AS the District of Co.
lumbia and the small county of
Arlington No doubt if the Con-
gress paid the District of Columbia
on fair assessed valuation of Gov
ernment-oWned property, rather
than by lump-sum appropriation,
the Federal contribution of taxes to
the District would be far in excess
OF the amount now allocated each
year."
Arlington in Like Fix,
Arlington's small area and high
percentage of federally held proper
ties places it in a similar situa ton,
he believes. The Federal Govern
ment now owns $3.50 acres or about
one-seventh of Arlington's "a square
miles, Mr.. Green said.
In 1914. a study by Mr. Green's
office of Federal acquisitions in Ar
lington fixed the value of such
property at the present market
value" of 1902 ,504,240, the commits
sioner of revenue said. The land
value is estimated at $185 ,304 240
and the value of improvements at
s117.20O,000.
"On the 40 per cent of market
value basis" Mr.. Green said, "the
assessed valuation would be S121,-
O01 ,696. At the present rate of taxa
tion of SO per $100 valuation, if
the Government was paying on
Federal acquisitions values, it would
bring to Arlington an additional tax
Of $3.50, ,050.88."
Increased Valuation Seen.
The Board of Assessors appointed
by the Circuit Court to make real
estate reassesSment this month re-
leased tentative estimate of values
on non-Federal property amounting
to 100000, an increase of s45,-
100000 oyer the present total.
ut can be readily seen from the
commissioner of revenues study
that the real estate acquisitions of
the Federal Government in Airing
ton County are in excess of the
anticipated values of all other real
estate located in the county," Mr..
Green declared.
Mr.. Green said the latest figures
available to him show the Federal
Government has acquired 2,127.44
acres or 92,652, ,l20 square feet. He
estimated the land is worth at least
81 per square foot "as most of it
would be adaptable either for in
dustry or high-class residential
property
Nevius Tract Value Cited.
The Nevius tract on Lee boulevard
which has been proposed as a site
for a veterans hospital and is sin
close proximity to most of the Gov
ernment-oWned land" was appraised
by an insurance company a few
years ago at So per square foot, Mr..
Green commented.
Cali of this Federal land is located
in areas which could have been de-
veloped to great advantage from a
tax angle and would have brought
to the county taxable values whereby
the tax rate could have been greatly
reduced" the revenue commissioner
asserted. Many needed improve
ments could have been acquired
without inficting excessive taxes on
the homeowners"
Mr.. Green listed the estimated
valuation of improvements on Fed
eral-owned property as follows:
Construction
Cost Listed by
Federal
Property. Government. Estimated.
Office S136 473 5000 600
Navy Building 4,s29,192 100000
Ft Myer Mill
tary Reserya-
ton, incl<-