Evening star., 1951-04-22


|25% Cut in Fairfax
Proposed Tax Rate
A Is per cent cut in Fairfax
County's proposed new tax rate is
recommended in a report of the
Pleasant Ridge Community Tax
payers Association made public
last night.
The six-page report was pre-
pared by a special committee Of
the association appointed to study
the county's proposed budget fol-
the next fiscal year. A public hear
ing on the budget is to be held
April 80 and it is due to be adopted
that day by the county super
Ivisors.
Generally, the report regards
Fairfax's proposed budget as ex-
lcessive and warns that the accom-
lpanying tax rate would be pro-
Ihibitive. The total proposed budget
lis slightly over Sc million. exclu-
sive of sanitary district operations
and would require a 1923 tax rate
This is only four cents above the
lcurrent levy, but many tax bill.
would be doubled because a re-
assessment has raised the county''
tax base from g. million to II:
million.
Spending Trend Charged.
"It appeared to the Committe,
that the funds requested in th'
proposed budget reflects the spend
ling trend in this area rather thar
1.-THE actual needs of the county.
the report states, adding:
"Just because some other coun
ty or city is engaged in following
a policy Of extravaganza ant
wastefulness is no sound reason
why Fairfax should follow thi
road to bankruptcy"
The report asks that the pro.
posed $2.56 school levy be reduced
to $191 and that the county oper.
ating levy be reduced from pro.
posed Sc cents to SO cents.
These reductions would leave
the county with a rate of $2.27 fol
schools and general operations fol
the fiscal year beginning July 1
In addition. there would be 7-cent
fire levy, a 1-cent police retire
ment levy and Scent levy to pay
interest on the courthouse con-
Istruction bond issue. Another Is
cent levy would be charged to resi-
dents of the county'S Sanitary
District No. l for retirement of a
sewer bond issue.
Certain Increases Figured.
The committee arrived at Its
proposed tax rates by figuring GER
tain increases over last years
budget. based on added population
and a higher cost of living.
Allowing for a 15.5 per cent
increase over the old budget be-
cause of added population. and
10 per cent for a higher cost OF
living, the committee estimates
that the total school budget fol
1951-52 should be $3,393,381.21-
instead of the $40 million sought
by the school board. The total
school budget of the current year
was $2.670,902.
OF the total school budget pro-
posed by the committee, $2,118,884
would have to be raised by taxes,
and would require levy Of $1.91
Using the same percentage in
creases for population and cost
Of living, the committee figures
the county operating: budget for
1951-52 should be $847,781,, OF
which $685. ,359 would have to be
raised by taxes. This would re-
quire a. levy of 36 cents. THE
county has proposed a 195l-52
operating bulge of $l,073, 1875
requiring a levy of 56 cents. The
operating budget for the current
year was $667 ,281.
For the most part, it is left ur
to county heads where to make re-
ductions to bring the total budget
down to the recommended level
DeletiOns Recommended.
It is recommended, however
that the county delete from the
budget six contributions" total
ing $4,000. These are $4,000
for purchase of the Old Aims
House to be used as a health
center: $4,000 for the Fairfax
Recreation Association; $25, 900
to the Arlington Hospital Con-
Istruction fund; $4,000 to Alex
Iandria Hospital; $1,000 for civil
defense. and $1,000 to the Fairfax
County Child Guidance Clinic
The report concludes with an
urgent" recommendation that
the Board of Supervisors appoint
Ia qualified non-partisan COM
Imittee' to study the county's op-
lerations. It is suggested that the
survey group include not more
than two members from each
ImagiSterial district.
Members of the committee are
William c. Mckay, Winfield M.
Homer. Paul A. Lain, Claude S.
IBreeden, jr., H. e. White and
Walter B. Jamison.