Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-05-01
100000 Cut
In Ar|ington's
Budget Asked
Pay increases
For Teachers
Requested Of Bourd

A 100000 cut in the proposed
Arlington school and general
county budgets for 1954-5 was
recommended to the Arlington
County Board today by its in
term Budget Committee.
At the same time the board
had before it a request of School
Supt. Edward Rutter suggesting
an upward revision of the school
budget to provide pay increases
for teachers.
The Budget Committee, headed
by Ernest j. Holcomb, called for
retention of current tax rates.
The group asked that adoption
Of kindergarten program rec
commended by the School Board
be deferred until a referendum
can be held to determine whether
the public approves.
The committee recommended
that the School Board budget of
approximately $8.1 million be
cut by $760,008. Last year, the
County Board cut the proposed
school budget by $450,00
Trim in OUTLAWS Sought.
A reduction of 1892 700 in out
lays recommended by County
Manager A. T. Lundberg was
suggested.
Mr.. Rutter said the School
Board now recommends that
teachers with up to three years
experience be given a $3.50 raise,
in addition to regular incre-
ments and that teachers with
four or five years experience be
given 500 increase. Pay raises
for teachers with longer service
were recommended in the orig
inal budget proposal. The pres
ent starting pay for teachers
with bachelors degree is S.
800.
The amended budget will re-
quire no additional county tax
increase than was requested in
the first budget of 81 cents per
$10G of property evaluation, the
superintendent said.
Additional State Revenue.
Mr.. Rutter said the money will
come from additional State rev.
enue in the amount of 1000,
and an additional $4,000 is
available in a fund set up to per-
NIT non-professional employees
of the School Board to partici-
pate in the county retirement
plan. The sum of $4,000 was
set up in the original budget but
it has been found that $4,000
will be adequate, Mr.. Rutter said.
The amended budget increases
the school total from $8,119,017
to So, 15O.617. The County Board
must approve the county and
school budgets and set tax rates
by May Is.
Mr.. Rutter said the School
Board decided on the new teach
er pay recommendations after
considering reaction of citizens
to the original budget at hear
ings.
A public hearing by the County
Board on the proposed in
crease of q cents in the
tax rate lasted Only IA minutes,
drew only II citizens and pro-
cuced only two speakers last
night.
The two speakers represented
opposing points Of view.
Carroll Wright of the Tax
Study Committee of the Cham
Der of Commerce argued that
the tax rate should remain I'M
changed, while Shelby Roberts
of the Citizens Committee for
School improvement Endorsed
the 27-cent raise, which would
be used for schools, partly to
inaugurate a kindergarten pro-
gram.
Mrs. Leone Buchholz, chair
man of the County Board, said
the proposed $20.2 million budget,
which is about $3.7 million
over the current fiscal years out
lay, is based on an anticipated
asseSsable base of 1929 ,807, 900.
This would be some $11.8 mil
lion over the present fiscal pc
Rod.
The present tax rates in Ar
lington are 1921 per 500 of as
sessed valuation on real estate
and $3.50 on personal property.
Schools now take $1.73 out of
the real estate tax and 50 out
of the personal property levy.
The proposed 27-cent rise for
schools would bring the total
rates to 1928 for real estate and
$3.77 for personal property.
The new rates must be set by
the board before May 16.
r.. cL-Ls L. 49,