Evening star., 1952-09-10
Federation Asks
.ssessor0 Office
warrington
Voters to,Decide
+ Issue Of Separate
Setup November a

SStuP i>OVSHsDSs
Proposed reinstatement Of Ar
Iington's Department of Real
Property Assessments today had
the backing of the Arlington
Civic Federation.
In its first session since June,
the federation last night adopted
q resolution favoring a separate
assessors Office for the county.
Such an Office was created by the
County Board two years ago and
put into operation on July /. 1851.
only to be thrown out six months
later because of a legal techni-
cality.
The assessment department issue
will be decided by county voters
in a special referendum accom-
paning the general election No
vember 4.
Last nights action was the re-
suit of a motion of Mrs. Shirley
Wheeler of the federation's Local
Government Committee. In eff
feet, it supported re-establish-
ment of the former assessors Of
flee. The latter was discontinued
after suit filed by John Locke
Green, former Arlington treasurer,
was upheld in both the Arlington
Circuit Court and the State Court
of Appeals.
Report on Incorporation.
Mrs. Wheeler also submitted q
committee report on the proposed
incorporation of Arlington. In it.
the federation and its member
bodies were urged to keep an
open mind until the pros and
cons are professionally devel-
oped."
The report, generally discussing
the benefits that could come from
incorporation. will be duplicated
and sent to heads of all member
associations, the federation de-
cided. The committee said re-
ports now were under way by the
Ifederation's Fiscal Affairs Com
mittee concerning the impact Of
incorporation on Arlington'S
financial life and by the Univer-
Sity of Virginia on aspects Of city
and county government. It added
that these reports are expected
for completion early next month
and said it hoped their conclu-
sions will be widely disseminated.
Three resolutions introduced
were turned over to the federa-
tion'S School Committee for study.
One was the November refer
endum issue of whether the school
!. board should be elected or not II
|, Arlington is incorporated. The
other two were submitted by Har-
Iley M. Williams. delegate from the
Columbia Pike Citizens Associa-
: ton.
Merit System Study Asked.
One of Mr.. Williams resolutions.
noting that Washington taught
: teachers are obtaining jobs in Ar
lington without taking competitive
! examinations, asked the School
Committee to report on steps re-
quired to establish merit system
for school employees. The resolu-
: ton also requested the board to
: consider the type of personnel
practices now carried on by the
Arlington school administration.
, The second. noting that the Ar
! lington School Board has a larger
! amount Of money than any county
department in history at its dis
, posal, asked the committee to re-
! port on what safeguards exist to
Insure that these funds are wisely
land honestly spent. The same
resolution noted that a more than
100000 surplus at the end Of the
fiscal year was not forecast
and asked for a report on the
basis of ALLEGATION Of funds with
1.-THE school department after adop-
ton of the 1923 budget.
Limit to Candidate Appearances.
), During committee reports, VIII
! liam G. Watt of the Executive
: Committee advised the group that
efforts are under way to limit the
number of campaign appearances
lof election candidates in Airing.
ton. Mr.. Watt. the federation's s
representative on the county's
Committee for Candidates Meet
ings, said the latter group has
decided on seven general meetings
covering all parts Of Arlington.
Several groups. however. re-
lported they already have sched-
uled meetings at which candidates
would attend. One Of them, the
lColumbia Pike Citizens Associa-
)tion, is sponsoring such a meeting
tonight at the Patrick Henry Ele-
mentary School.
Much time was taken up in
q distribution Of tickets to the feder-
r ation-sponsored Barter Theater,
which will present four stage pros
h Iductions in Arlington this year.
= Two county board members
q were named honorary members Of
: the federation, Robert w. Cox,
= board chairman, and Alan L.
Dean. Mr.. Cox's wife. Mrs. Ruth
Cox, Is president Of the federation.
. She presided over last nights ses-
. sion at the Lyon Park Community
l House.