Evening star., 1949-03-23
Federation Asks
Rent Tax Boost
In Arlington
Jump to ST. so From
Current l5cWiII Aid
Budget, Group Soys

Budget, Group Soys
An increase in the tax on apart
ment reentals from Is cents tc
$l.50 per 500 rental fees was sug-
geSted last night by the Arlington
p Civic Federation as a source OF
revenue to help finance next years
county budget.
The federation acted in recon-
mending budget that would
carry tax rate totaling 43 cents
more than the current 1925 pei
Sl00 assessed valuation. County
Manager A. T. Lundberg has pro-
posed an 89-cent increase te
finance s9,115,400 budget fol
1949-50.
The federation based its esti-
mates on 95 per cent collection
OF taxes as opposed to the 80 pei
cent used by Mr. Lundberg.
Would Raise 100000.
An estimated 100000 a year
would be raised by increasing the
license tax on apartment rentals,
the federation said. The tax was
levied recently when the County
Board adopted an ordinance
covering NOSE businesses and pro-
fessions. The new tax must be
paid by the end of this month
and is retroactive to January l.
Regarding the suggested in
crease, the federation commented
that it will probably be passed
on to apartment dwellers.
The average cost, the federation
. estimated. would be S11 a year
under the increased rates. This
was arrived at by using SCI as
the average monthly rental and
10000 as the number of apart
ment units. The civic body es-
timated that approximately $4,000
would be derived at the present
rate.
Views Set Forth in Letter.
The federations views on taxes
and other issues were set forth in
letter drafted at special meet
ing last night. 1t asked and then
answered the question:
What are the areas of govern
mental service in which the need
is most pressing and in which we
want the county to move forward
at once?" the Federation asked ::
''On any priority list the edu-
cational needs of our children
must rank at the top. Recreation,
health activities. fire and police
protection, sidewalks and streets
are other areas of pressing need
in which we must make progress
If this county is to develop as an
attractive community in which to
live"
On the school question. the fed
Grafton wants full-day sessions for
first and second grades.
School Budget Can Be Cut.
However. the School Boards
proposed S3.065.0OO budget can
stand, some reduction without
harm the letter said. The fed
Grafton then declared that So .986.-
600 should be adequate and asked
that Sl.805 of the property tax
rate be assigned to the school op-
fund Tho crhoN1e Il
asked for S195.
I'VE are convinced that any
further reduction would make it
impossible for the School Board
to provide for the greatly in
creased number of children who
will enter school next year,
the federation said.
The organization urged approval
of Mr.. Lundberg'S S836,740 cap
ital improvement program with
two revisions. These are that
$4,000 for a fire drill tower be
deleted and that 100000 be added
for improvement for Lorcom lane
because of the prospective tie-in
with the George Washington me-
mortal parkway.
Revision of Fund Urged.
In the county managers op-
Grating budget. the federation re-
quested a number of revisions in
Guiding the following:
Additions of $4,000 for voting
machine rental; $4,000 for pro-
fessional services for the Public
Utilities Commission: $4,000 for
installation of a separate fire de-
partment switchboard; $4,000 for
full time firemen at the Halls Hill
department and $4,000 for 2-way
radio for the fire department.
Deletions of 100000 for tempo
rary pay increases for county en-
ployes, S12,500 for clerical assist
ance in the Offices of the
commissioner of revenue and
county treasurer, and $11 900 for
an additional street sweeper
machine.
S68,000 Reduction Claimed.
The Federation asserted that
the suggested revisions amounted
to a net reduction of more than
$4,000 in the estimates submitted
by the county manager for op-
Grating expenses and that the
total proposed revisions amounted
to more than 31,500.
In justification for the proposal
to increase taxes on apartment
rentals. the federation said it had
come to the conclusion that
families living in apartments do
mot pay as heavy portion of the
tax bill as do home owners" The
Federation added that remedying
the situation through property as
'sessments seems hopeless or at
tbest extremely slow and difficult" "
+! Last September. the Federation
asked the County Board and the
commissioner of revenue to con-