Evening star., 1953-03-15
Arlington 'sRate
Of Growth Held
Slowing Down
Lundbere Submits
Budget, Sees Decline
In Revenue Possible
By WiIIiom ]. EIvin


Of growth is slowing down and
revenues are stabilizing-"if not
declining" County Manager A. r.
Lundberg believes.
In submitting his proposed
budget for 1953-54 to the County
Board, the manager made these
statements in a dramatic de-
parture from the optimism ex-
pressed by some county officials:
Current tax revenues for 1882
63 are estimated at $3,036,313,
q figure $39. .O46 below actual col
1ectionS for 1951-52. The esti-
mate for the fiscal year begin
ming next July / is $3,161 ,319.
Collections from the business
and professional license tax, car
ried in the current budget at
$728, ,903, will not exceed $3.50, 900,
Mr.. Lundberg forecast. His
estimate Of this revenue source
for next year is $65O,000.
Cut Seen in Surplus.
A surplus Of $246,518 was car
fied from 1951-52 into 1928.
The anticipated surplus from
1928 to be carried into 1853
"a Is only $81,00
The county government, in
Mr.. Lundberg's words. "is finding
itself caught between rising re-
quirementS and stabilizing (if
not declining) revenues.
Here are some of the rising
requirements in the general bud
get, not including schools:
A proposed increase next year
of $407,319 to pay higher salaries,
approved earlier this year, and
to add 81 new positions.
A rise of $51,190 in the cost
Of Servicing debts, which will
cost $211,0O0 in 1953-54. Bond
issues aside from school bonds
have risen from $1.8 million five
years ago to approximately $40
million.
Larger Budget Asked.
Mr.. Lundberg has submitted
to the County Board a total bud
get of $17,162, ,785, including ST.
285,955 for schools.
The budget totals about $2.5
million over county expenditures
for the current year.
A Accent increase would be
required in real estate and per-
Sonal property tax rates to
carry out the general and school
budgets as proposed. The County
Board will hold a public hearing
on the recommendations and will
set the tax rates for real and
personal property by May Is. The
real estate tax rate is now $2.81
and the personal property rate
Is $3.10.
The manager said these favor
able developments have helped
the county in the past to make
substantial increases in it's serv-
ices:
The tax base has been enlarged
by increased building of residen-
tial and commercial structures.
The Nations economic pros
perity has been reflected in un-
usual economic development in
the county.
New revenue sources have been
tapped, including the business
and professional license tax, and
local auto tags.
The general assessment of $50
increased revenues.
Tax rates have been increased.
Trends Tapering OF.
These trends, the manager told
the board, "are beginning to
taper of, and the rate of year.
to-year increase in the county's
revenues is slowing down."
The leveling of Of the national
defense effort can be expected
to be reflected in the general
economic situation, Mr.. Lund-
berg said.
To help Offset the Stabilizing
or declining revenues, he sug-
geSted increasing fees for county
licenses and permits. Changing
the basis for the county's auto
license tax from Is cents a
hundredweight to a fiat IS would
bring in up to $4,000 more a