Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-29
Merchants Hit
Sales Tax Plan
For Alexandra
Landlords Oppose
CounterproposuI
For Levy on Rents

<AACAdA1OA 40oU
night vigorously opposed impo-
sition of sales tax to help bal
ance the city's proposed budget,
while landlords raped the mer-
chants counter-proposal to tax
gross rental receipts.
Both groups agreed, however,
that there should be stricter en-
forcement of the city's personal
property and business license tax
laws.
More than 200 persons at
tended the City Councils first
hearing on the proposed 1854
budget Of $7,295. 900, an increase
Of 81, 412,154 over this years. The
meeting was moved from council
chambers to George Washington
High School to handle the crowd.
: Fear Blow to Business.
The Retail Merchants Asso-
citation and the Chamber of Com
merce Joined in a statement con-
demning the 2 per cent sales tax
proposed by City Manager Ira F.
Willard and the Citizens Advis-
DRY Tax Commission to meet the
STA million budget increase.
Representatives of the two
groups said the sales tax would
drive trade away from Alexan-
dria and would be "a death blow
to business"
Abbey Mintz, the merchants
president, said a survey con-
Quoted by them showed that g.
971 shoppers of a total of TAI
answering a QUESTIONABLE said
they would not deal in Alexan-
dria if a sales tax were imposed.
Walter Cameron, president OF
the darlington Businessmen
Association, said darlington
stores are located just across the
border from Arlington and Fair
fax Counties, and I'VE couldn't
possibly entice county residents
to climb over per cent tax
fence when other stores are so
close"
Urge Cut in Budget.
The merchants and the cham
Der recommended a 5 per cent
cut in the overall budget, a $780,
600 slash in the 1925, 900 con-
tingent fund, strict enforcement
Of the personal property tax and
business license laws, and a 2
per cent tax on landlords.
ArmiStead Booth, attorney for
the merchants. said the cuts
recommended, plus better tax
collection, would eliminate the
need of a sales tax. He also said
the school board will get an adj
ditional $4,000 in Federal funds
not budgeted.
The remainder of the $1.4 bud
get increase would come from an
estimated 40 per cent increase
in property assessments result
ing from the reassessment OF
city property now under way.
Councilman Frank E. Mann
said the cut proposed by the mer-
chants in the contingency fund
would eliminate salary increases
for city employees.
Arthur Kirby, commenting on
the proposed landlord tax, said
Landlords are businessmen and
should be taxed as SUCH" He
said 1t is discriminatory to tax
merchants and not landlords.
Glenn U. Richards, attor-
ney and owner of rental proper
ties. countered that the landlord
tax would be another tai
against real estate which already
carries the major portion of the
budget"
He also commented that the
tax as proposed by the merchants
would be about seven times
higher than the tax on mer.
chants gross receipts.
Edward Dupree, Of 1708 Oak
crest drive. favored the land
lord tax as a method of getting
those who don't pay but cause
over-crowding Of our school IA
cilities."
Other groups opposing the
sales tax were the Retail Case
line Dealers Association and the
Kiwanis Club. The latter also
opposed the landlord tax.
The Council will begin deliber.
atoms next week on a final form
for the budget before presenting
it for another public hearing next
month. The budget must be
adopted by June q.