Evening star., 1947-10-08
IdxEffSfieIdR
In Arlington,
CandidateSays
-, Green Denies Delay
In New Realty Levies
Is to Avert Vote Loss


residents for increased real estate
taxes is being delayed by the COM
missioner Of revenue until after the
November election to prevent q
loss Of votes, it was charged today
by Clyde B. Stovall, Republican
candidate for that Office.
Harry Z. Green, commissioner Of
revenue, denied the bills are being
delayed by his ONCE He said bills
will not be any later this year than
they have been for the last four or
FIVE years.
Arlington County property own
ers are due for high-voltage shock
about two weeks after the Novem-
Der general election when they
will begin receiving their long
overdue real estate tax bills with
q total Of about 1921 900 of addi-
tional charges" Mr.. Stovall de-
clared.
Delay Is Charged.
He said the revenue commissioner
usually has cleared the assessment
rolls from his office about August
1 in on-election years so that tax
payers could be billed by the treas
urer during the second half of
October. This gives them four to
six weeks advance notice of their
tax liability which is payable with
out penalty on or before December
S.>Mr. Stovall pointed out.
However, this year the bills will
not be gotten out until November
Is at the earliest, due to delay in
the ONCE Of the commissioner Of
revenue" Mr.. Stovan contended.
Mr.. Green said that the treas
urer has not been able to get his,
bills out for the last four or flve
years until the middle Of Novem-
ber."
This" he said. "in justice to the
treasurer, is due to crowded condi-
tions At the courthouse, a heavy
influx of tax bills and the increased
business, and lack of modern
equipment which the Commissioner
of Revenue has arranged to have
installed by the County Board"
Records Seen "In Mess"
The Republican candidate quoted
the present revenue commissioner
with charging the three-man Re
assessment Board with gross negli-
gence in having failed to assess
over $2,26s. 900 worth Of property
and, in addition, with having dupli-
Gated assessments on $342 900 worth
Of other property. According to
Mr.. Stovall. the commissioner said
the Reassessment Boards cards and
records were in a terrible mess"
and that Mr.. Green has been en-
gagged since last February in
STRENGTHENING them out" j.;
j Mr.. stoval pointed out that .coun-
ty real estate. underwent 4 general
reassessment last winter with an
overall upgrading of over % per
cent in assessed value. The tax
rate also was increased to 1925
per hundred or Is cents over the
ia46 rate. The net result Of tht>r
assessment and the new rate is chat
the 1947 levy is approximately s2,-
$4,000 in comparison with the 1916
levy OF about $2,169, 900 he said.
Admits Records Were "Amiss."
Mr.. Green said his opponent must
know that the Commissioner of
Revenue had nothing to do with the
general real estate assessment In
1916" This assessment, he pointed
out, was made by board OF asses
sors appointed by the Circuit Court.
"It Is to be admitted" Mr.. Green
continued, that records of the
Assessment Board were amiss and
it has taken the Commissioner OF
Revenues real estate staff practi-
cally the entire summer to correct
same"
Mr.. Green said that due to un-
usual conditions in Arlington
County, the State Department of
Taxation this year granted his Office
an extension of time until October
20 to complete his tax rolls and turn
them over to the treasurer's office.
Delay In Printing.
THE fact of the matter is that
the commissioner started to deliver
loose leaves (from the tax books to
the treasurer on August 10 and he
has kept the treasurer supplied
since that date with sufficient por-
tions of these books to keep the
treasurer's staff busy in the prepa-
ration of tax bills" Mr.. Green de-
clared.
Another unavoidable delay in the
treasurers office, he said, was that
tax tickets necessary for the billing
Of taxpayers weren't delivered from
the printer until September.
Meanwhile, Harrison Mann, re-
Gently elected chairman of the Ar
linnf0n nannOcraf fic Cnnn nit 90