Evening star., 1950-07-20
Fiscal Picture
Appears Bright
In Alexandra
Six-Month Figures
Indicate City Will
End Yeur in Black
By Mary Lou Werner

Alexandria residents can expect
their city finances to wind up in
the black this year, figures re-
leased for expenditures during the
first six months indicate.
Beset by financial problems for
many years, the city budget has
taken on a brighter look this year
for two principal reasons: The
city is spending less money than
it planned, and is getting more
income than it expected.
The financial report for the first
six months that ended June 80
was released by City Manager w.
Guy Ancell. 1t showed that so far
this year the city has spent only
$1.833,572-which is about AZ per
cent of the $4,284,750 estimated
expenditures for the entire year.
Of the $4,164.812 estimated re-
ceipts, more than SO million, or
1899 per cent. has been collected.
Collections Are Ahead.
Collection of real estate taxes
and delinquent personal property
taxes are running far ahead of
expectations. The budget called
for real estate collections of ST.
957,726. With only first half pay
ments collected. the city already
had obtained $984,237 from this
source. 1t is expected even more
than that amount will be collected
in second-half payments, boosting
income from that source more
than $4,000 above the budget
figure.
Delinquent personal property
tax collections totaled $77,822
during the first six months and
the city only expected to get
$4,000 from that source during
the whole year.
The real estate and personal
property incomes collected so far
do not include any taxes that the
State Corporation Commission al
lows the city on public utilities.
Mr.. Ancell said although the sec
has set no figure as yet, he be-
lieves the city would collect taxes
on SIS million in public utilities
assessments. This may boost the
real estate and personal property
receipts by nearly 100000 above
budget estimates.
State Grant Is Bonanza.
Another bonanza to thhe city
treasury was State grant of
$248,154 for school purposes which
was used to retire part of the
school bond iSSue-thereby en-
riching the general fund by that
amount. Also unexpected was
$4,000 which the city has COL
lected so far in cigarette taxes.
This tax was not contemplated
when the budget was adopted.
These unlocked for sums so far
seem more than enough to offset
the $187 900 which was expected
from tax on public utility bills
that the city never imposed.
Enough money has come in also
to make up for the $119, 900 deficit
that the city started with in 1880
by budgeting more expenses than
income.
Some of the departments that
have spent less than half their
funds during the first six months
include: City auditor, 20 per cent:
city collector. Al per cent; build
ing inspector, AZ per cent; city
manager, As per cent; city garage.
80 per cent; health, As per cent:
rescue squad, 26 per cent; Jail, 81
per cent; District Home, 80 per
cent; welfare. A per cent; traffic
control, Al per cent, and the cor
poration and circuit courts, 81
per cent.
Mr.. Ancell explained that in
some departments, however, ex-
penditures necessarily run higher
during the second half of the year
Incomes that are running below
expectations include building per-
mitS, where only $1O,11O of an
estimated $35,0O0 has been COL
lected, and street openings for
which only $4,000 of an estimated
$4,000 has been taken in.