Evening star., 1952-05-15
Cigarette Tax
Again Proposed
In Alexandra
Real Estute Rate Rise
Also Asked to Finance
City's Record Budget

A 15-cent increase in the rea,
estate tax rate and 2-cent sales
tax on cigarettes are proposed tc
finance a record Alexandra
budget of $5,911 300 for the 1852:
fiscal year.
The proposed budget was made
public today by Acting City Man
ager c. Luckett Watkins. A pub
lie hearing will be held by the
City Council at 7:30 pm. May q.
The budget must be adopted by
June 27.
In his budget message Mr..
Watkins also recommends a gen.
eral reasseSsment of real estate,
a professional financial survey
and a new personnel survey.
The 15-cent increase in the real
estate tax rate would bring the
levy back to $2.75 where it was
in 1850. The increase could not
become effective until 1853.
To Be Effective in July.
The proposed sales tax of 2
cents on each package of ciga-
rettes would become effective at
the beginning of the new fiscal
year on July l. It would be ear
marked for schools. This same
tax was tried in Alexandria in
1850, but abandoned after about
four months because of public op-
position. It is estimated the tax
would bring in $4,000.
Mr.. Watkins said the reassess-
ment he recommended would take
about 18 months to complete and
would not affect tax bills until
1854. The last reassessment was
in 1948.
The total budget is approxi-
mately $1.1 million, or 81 per
cent above the one adopted for
the 1951-52 fiscal year.
Mr.. Watkins said there were
three principal reasons for the
increase. A general salary in
crease is provided for almost all
city employees. Mr.. Watkins said
this was necessary to compete
with higher salaries in this area.
The added expense of furnish
ing services to the territory re-
Gently annexed from Fairfax
County also accounts for some
OF the increase. Added personnel
is proposed for many of the de-
partmentS.
Raises Average S275.
Mr.. Watkins estimated the an
nual salary increases for city
employees averaged $275.
Wages for laborers and other
hourly employees is put on a slid
ing scale to reward those who
stay with the city for some length
of time. The old rate was $1.O5
an hour. The new rate would run
from $1.10 an hour during the
first six months to $1.2O for all
men IN the service five years and
over.
Mr.. Watkins further recon-
mended that all laborers in the
city service over five years be-
given a weeks vacation with pay.
A large item in the increase is
$4,000 for social security pay
ments. This sum makes the So
clal security benefits for city en-
ployes retroactive to January.
1851.
General Breakdown.
A general breakdown of the
proposed expenditures is as fol-
lows:
Legislative and legal, $36.O52:
executive. $4,000; assessments.
collections and finance, $185, 1868:
retirement, $1O8,5OO; administra-
ton of justice, $172,205.
Health $166,291; charities, hos
pitals. etc., $379.177; police and
fire protection. $1,000, 900; public
works. $S30.S55: recreation, $121,-
1876;
Public schools. $1,665, 900; pub
lie library, $42,255; planning and
zoning, $22,040; registrations and
election, $12,975; contributions to
civic organizations, $11,950; mis-
cellaneous expenses. $29, 800;
Debt service. $716,381; capital
expenditures. $304,0O0; economic
survey, $500 and reserve for con-
tingencies. $68,933.
CAPITAL improvements.