Evening star., 1950-10-15


WOMEN'S CLUB SPEAKER
Mrs. Elliott Shirk, the former
Kyra PetrOvskaya, a Russian
actress, will relate her expert
enceS behind the Iron Curtain
during the public affairs ban
quet of the Arlington Business
and Professional Women's Club
at $3.50 pm. Tuesday at George
Mason Hotel, Alexandria.
"It is believed that the majority
of the voters in Fairfax County
and in each magisterial district O.
the county. are property owner,
who pay substantial taxes to sup
port the county. They must be
protected against unwarrantec
tax increases.
Says Issues Are Beclouded.
1.-THE county manager promoters
are beclouding the issue by con-
tending that the county manager
form of government is needed tC
permit the voters in the more
populous districts to obtain a
larger voice in the election of the
County Board of Supervisors, the
statement continued.
More equitable representation
on the Board of Supervisors can
be brought about easily and
simply by petitioning the Circuit
Court to redraw the district boun-
daries on the basis of the new
1850 population count. In view
of the harmful potentialities OF
the proposed county manager
plan. to advocate its adoption for
this reason is like advocating that
the house be burned down to kill
a rat.
The problem, however, is not
the unequal population of the
present districts or the protection
of the majority of the voters in
the larger districts from the mi
nority of voters in the smaller
districts.
The undersigned. for example
are all from Providence District,
one of the three large districts
that the manager plan advocates
would protect from the smaller
districts. But they do not feel
the need of such protection.
Voters Interest Called Same.
"Basically, the fundamental In
terests of the majority of the
voters in each district are the
same. This seems to be borne
out by the overwhelming number
of times present members of the
Board of Supervisors from the
larger districts vote with those
from the smaller districts.
The real problem is the pro.
lection of the interests of the
home owners, the permanent res.
idents, and other property holders
from voters who are relatively free
from sharing in the tax burder
of the county.
by providing for county -Wid'
election of supervisors rather thar
their election by districts, thu
county manager form of govern
ment would be much more vulner
able to control by well-organizet
pressure groups whose policie
may be inimical to the best inter
ests and welfare of the majorit!
of the taxpayers.
THAT this county is faced will
a real danger of losing control O
its fiscal affairs to possible minor
ity groups is underscored by tn
small participation of taxpayers il
it's elections and referendums. II
the last county wide referendum
for example, in May of this year
a total of a little over 5000 vote
were cast in the whole county ou
of population of 1926.
Higher Taxes Seen as Result.
THE county manager form o
government. by forcing the voter
to vote for many relatively un
known candidates and often re
sulting in the defeat of candidate
by voters not residing in their owl
districts is not calculated to i'm
prove this situation. There is onl,
one sure inevitable result, namely
higher and higher taxes.
Taxpayers of Fairfax Count,
would do we'll to profit by the ex
perience of others. Taxes hav,
increased rapidly in Montgomer,
County, Md, after it adopted tn,
county manager plan of govern
ment. Montgomery County il
similar in character to Fairfa,
County. 1t, too, has densely set
tied urban areas as we'll as rura
farm areas. 1t also has many
residents that come and go as thu
ldSblVlClCo VI CItC I COCl d1 1OVCIIl
ment wax and Wane.
warwick and Henrico are tn,
only counties in Virginia to adop
the county manager form of gov
ernment such as is proposed TO
Fairfax. But Henrico County say
fit through special legislation tt
change back to the system o
election of the members of tn
Board of Supervisors by district
rather than at large.
"Only about IL counties out O
5000 counties in the Unite,
States have adopted the count
manager form of government. Ar
we to assume that of all the coun
ties in the United States, only tn
IL with the manager plan hav
the best government"
Home Tour Officials
tn Meet in AnnnnoIie