Evening star., 1950-09-10

Fairfax County voters Will be
given the opportunity to choose
between two reform government
plans at the November election
and in Loudoun it is probable that
referendum will be set this fall
on single plan.
Complex Campaign
The campaign for government
change in Fairfax has grown COM
plex since the movement, backed
by the Federation of Citizens
Associations, the League Of Women
Voters. the Committee for Good
Government and the Taxpayers
Advisory Association, began to
take shape last spring.
While petition asking for a
referendum on the single question
of a county manager plan for
Fairfax was being circulated last
spring, the Board of Supervisors
was requested to form an impair
tial study commission to investi-
gate all reform plans open to the
county.
The commission reported last
week unanimously favoring re-
form. but recommending the
county executive plan above the
manager plan. and requesting that
both plans be included on the
ballot. Judge Paul E Brown CT
the County Circuit Court there
fore ordered a joint ballot in the
referendum, which he set at the
November general election.
The report prepared by the
commission was received with
mixed feelings among the groups
that have campaigned for gov
ernment reform. In effect it has
broadened the issue, allowing the
people choice between the pres
ent government and two reform
types-the manager and executive
plans.
1t has been charged by some
groups supporting the manager
plan that the commissions report
was an attempt to confuse the
issue and split the reform vote.
Other groups praised the report,
adding, however, that arguments
in favor of the executive plan were
not purely applicable to Fairfax
County.
Petition in Loudoun
In Loudoun County, where a
referendum has not yet been
called. the issue is less complex
but Is gaining almost as much
warmth. Here a petition, asking
merely for a referendum on the
one form-county executive-has
been filed with Judge ]. r. H.
Alexander of the Circuit Court
and a hearing on the request has
been set for September %.
During the circulation Of the
Loudoun petition, one county
newspaper. charging that the
membership of the League of
Women Voters was secret, threat
ened to publish the names of all
petition signers. This has not yet
materialized. however.
Reform proponents also attacked
a request to the court by Stilson
Hall, Loudoun member of the
House of Delegates, and Stirling
Harrison, Commemorative attor-
ney, that the petition of $50 resi-
dents be denied.
Mr.. Hall, however, said he had
not asked that the petition be
denied, but, as representative of
those who opposed the petition,
merely requested that the court
be sure of its validity and that a
proper. legal election be called.
In Prince William County, Va,
and in Prince Georges County,
Md, the movement for reform is
not far advanced. One petition
for referendum in Prince William
was repeatedly withdrawn, and in
the Maryland county the move
ment has not yet gotten into full
swing. It is being studied in
Prince Georges by the Committee
for Good Government.
In almost all instances the de-
mands for county government re-
form have followed population
presSures. This was true in the
case of Montgomery County, Md,
in adopting it's charter govern
ment, and Of Arlington County,
whose manager form of govern
ment was the result Of special
action by the General Assembly
In both counties reform was
made necessary by new problems
arising from the influx into GER
tain areas of new people, demand
ing greater services from their
government.
A "horse-and-buggy govern
ment." it has been held, is in
adequate to meet the problems of
the machine age"
In Virginia, too, schools have
played their part in the demands
for streamlining the county gov
eminent. Fairfax County, for
example, has more than doubled
it's population in the last 10 years.
It's school system has been
strained to the breaking point,
4 and many residents, particularly
= those in the urban areas, con-
slider the school system too remote
from the citizens under the pres
ent system of government.
} Fairfax has, in the last few
l years, improved the efficiency of
it's government. An executive
> secretary, acting under the direc-
tion of the Board of Supervisors,
carries the routine administration
/ of county government.
However, the County School
, Board still is appointed by a
school electoral board, which, in
turn is appointed by the Circuit
Court judge. This removes the
school board from the direct con-