Evening star., 1952-03-15
Arlington Board
|Sifts ST. Million
Budget Increase
Approval Would
Roise Property Tox
Rate to $3.l9

Rute to $3.1o
The Arlington County Board Is
studying the proposed budget for
1888 calling for an additional
I'll million from local revenue
sources.
County Manager A. T. Lund-
berg proposed for general county
expenditures q budget of $7,940,-
l25 requiring an ll-cent increase
In the general portion Of the
property tax rate. now $1.28.
Supt. of Schools william A.
Early submitted Q budget totaling
s.. .975. .758. which would add 33
cents to the present Stat school
tax rate.
A Gents Tax Increase.
If approved by the County
Board. the new property tax rate
would be $3.l9 per 500 Of valu-
alton, an increase Of A cents
over the current $2.75,
Mr.. Lundberg said. an alter
nate to the 11-cent rise for county
operations would be an increase
in the. business license ta3 as
recommended by the boards Fis-
cal Affairs Committee.
The total budget of $l3,916.183
represents an increase Of $2.407,-
525 over the current year. Most
of the increase will be met
through increased revenue from
sources other than the property
tax, principally from the State
and Federal governments and
from rise in total assessed valu-
alton.
Total assessed valuation of
real, personal and public utility
property has been set at $265. .09T.-
ST., a rise of approximately $12
million over the revised figure for
1872. In the budget estimates.
"a collection rate of 95 per cent
lis assumed.
Must Act Before May 1. /
The board must take finaI
action on the budgets before
May /. They are effective July. ].
Mr.. Lundberg recommended no
specific pay increases for the
county's 1,100 employees but he
included a 100000 fund to be
used for this purpose as the board
determines.
The county manager said his
budget is conservative, rigidly re-
Istricted to essentials, and he ex-
lpressed the belief that improve
ment Of county services will
require a policy of patience and
restraint.
Mr.. Lundberg recalled that the
tax rate has increased five times
in the past six years and he said q
breathing spell providing an op-
lportunity for adjustment is desir-
able. Rising prices, increased pay
|mentS on the county and initia-
ton Of new services in the past
year. however, will boost expendi.
lures above automatic revenue in.
|creases resulting from growth and
general prosperity. the manager
said.
Committed to Sewer Work. .%
Also. the county is committed,
Mr.. Lundberg said, to spending
1897 ,805 for sewer improvements
mot covered by a recent bond issue:
the State must be paid $108, 900
for storm sewer construction and
rights Of way. and $25.0O0 has
been pledged to the building fund
of Arlington Hospital.
Future expansion Of county
services should be timed hence-
forth whenever possible ito par
Iallel normal economic growth and
the provision Of new revenue
sources" Mr.. Lundberg said. The
board may want to consider re-
questing enabling legislation to
provide new revenue sources SO
that it will not be necessary to
place on real estate so large a
share of the cost of further inn
provements in county services, the
manager added.
The proposed budget, II adopted,
will require the County Board to
follow rigidly policy of refrain
ing from using excess receipts this
year, because the 1952-53 budget
calls for carrying over a $I8l,518
surplus. The same policy will have
to be followed next year, Mr..
Lundberg said, because collections
in excess of estimates are less
likely next year than in the past.
Estimates ON Revenue.
The current property tax rate
Of $1.28 for general county pur-
poses will yield $3,223,586 and
other revenue is estimated at ap-
proximately $4,15O,00O. Collection
Of approximately 100000 in de-
linquent taxes Is expected.
A deficit in the proposed budget
of approximately $275,00 must be
met by increasing property or
business taxes, If the budget is
adopted. Each 1-cent increase In
the property tax rete is estimated
to bring in approximately $25. ITS.
Business and professional licenses
are expected to bring In $3.50 600
under the present ordinance.
Payments from the State are
estimated at $1,183,993, including
public-assistance funds, gas taxes
returned and the county's share
Of Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board profits.
County sewer and water sery-
ice charges will bring in an ad-
ditional $1.856,510, which will
provide adequate funds for main
tenance and operation of these
services, include debt service and
reduction.
Court fines, penalties and for.
feits are expected to total $780,
600, an increase of $4,000 over
the estimate for the current year