Evening star., 1953-05-12
S45O,0OO Cut
From Arlington
School Budget
County Board Votes
10-Cent Increase
In ReuI Estate Tax

last night pared $450,O0O from
the proposed school budget and
$22,258 from the general county
budget. Increases of 10 cents
on real estate and 40 cents on
personal property tax rates
were approved to finance the to-
tai budget of nearly $16.7 mil
lion.
The School Board was sched-
uled to confer today to revise its
proposed budget to the $685.
los figure allowed by unanimous
vote of the county board. In
cutting the school budget, the
board recommended that the
basic salary of teachers holding
bachelors degree ne raised from
$4,000 to $4,000 instead of $500.
The board said all teachers ex-
cept those at top scale will re-
ceive regular salary raises next
year. Funds are provided in the
budget, the board estimated, to
permit an average salary increase
of about $240 per teacher, in
Guiding annual increments.
County Board Chairman Rob-
ert A. Peck said the cut in the
school budget should not mate
rally reduce the school program
if the cuts are applied in the
areas suggested by the county
board. He said the board has
no authority to say where school
funds are spent but offered these
suggestions:
l. That $333,10O be reduced
from the $375,O0O teacher pay
increase fund.
2. That the contingency fund
be cut by $4,000; the fund for
increasing salaries of custodians
and clerks be reduced by $37,-
$50; and other minor proposed
increases totaling $4,000 be
eliminated.
turnover IN IeacherS.
Mr.. Peck said the board esti-
mated that there will be a 10
per cent turnover of teachers in
the school system. Those who
leave will receive an average SAL
ary higher than the replacement
teachers, making possible a sub
stantial saving in salary pay
ments, he said.
The added funds from teacher
turnover, plus the $4,000 re-
naming in the teacher salary
fund asked by the School Board.
will permit an average salary in
crease of $238 per teacher, Mr..
Peck said.
Following the board meeting
Barnard Joy, School Board
chairman. declared that Mr..
Peck's figures relating to a pos
sible salary increase averaging
1898 per teacher were spurious" !"
IF we followed the suggestions
Of the county board we actually
would be able to give each teach
er only a $50 increase in salary"
Mr.. Joy declared.
The board adopted a real es-
tate tax rate of $2.91. of which
$1.73 goes to schools and $1.18
is for general county operations.
A personal property tax rate of
$3.50 was adopted, of which 81
will be for school purposes and
$3.50 will go for general county
services. The budget is for the
1953-54 fiscal year beginning
July /.
Higher Revenue Estimates.
Higher revenue estimates were
used by the county board, COM
bined with $4,000 surplus not
available when the original bud
get figures were prepared, in Or
der to minimize the tax in
creases. The board estimated
that the county will receive $21,-
142 more in revenue from the
personal property tax than was
anticipated in the original bud
get estimates.
Recommendations Of many
citizens groups that the business
license and auto tag license taxes
be increased were not adopted by
the board because. Mr.. Peck said,
the legality of both tax ordi-
nances is under attack in the
State courts. 1T would be un-
wise to increase these taxes at
this time" he said.
The board also approved an
increase of 6 cents in the water
usage charge per 1000 gallons
for both residential and business
consumers. The new rate will
be 80 cents per 1000 gallons Of
water furnished.