Evening star., 1954-05-14
Record Budget
Drops Arlington
kindergartens
County Board Kills
School Roise Hopes,
Boosts Tux Rotes
By WiIIiom. ]. EIvin

""SN - StF"
The Arlington County Board
has denied funds to the School
Board for starting kindergartenS
next fall on the ground that ap-
proval would obligate taxpayers
to provide new clasSroon1s.
At a meeting last night, the
board also struck from the pro-
posed school budget about $780,
600 set up for pay scale increases
for teachers and other school
employees.
The record county budget of
nearly $40 million is an increase
of nearly $3.5 million over the
current year. including $4,000
more for schools.
A "pay-aS-you-go" program of
capital improvements was ap-
proved. with a $474,00O appro-
priation for the fiscal year be-
ginning July l. This amount is
an increase of $137, 900 over the
amount requested for this pur-
pose by County Manager A. T..
Lundberg, and an increase of
$180,000 over 1953-54.
Tax Rates Increased.
Present tax rates of 1921 on
real estate and $3.50 on personal
property were increased to SO on
real estate and $3.75 on personal
property,
The School Board will have to
decide how it will absorb the
reduction of about $485 900 from
it's budget request. The County
Board eliminated proposed funds
for certain programs but board
members agreed that it is up to
the School Board how it will
spend the ST. million approved
for the coming year.
About $258, 900 was set up in
the school budget to start the
kindergarten program. Although
this amount was denied by the
board, the sum of $4,000 was
set aside in the county budget
to finance education of 5l2-
year-old children, in the event
the School Board decides to con-
tinue the pre-primary program
this fall.
Board Member Robert A. Peck
said it was the feeling of the
board that it did not have the
moral right to commit the
county to a bond program which
would be required if the kinder
garten program were set in
motion"
Pay Still Studied.
Funds for school pay raises
were refused, Mr.. Peck said. be-
cause a joint county-school pay
scale study is still underway.
Board Member Alvin F. Kimel
said the capital improvement
budget of nearly half a million
dollars would enable the county
to make progress on street. side
walk and sewer work. The fund
also could be used for land
acquisition, he added.
Changes in the school budget,
in addition to the kindergarten
and salary recommendations,
were suggested in administration,
a reduction of $4,000 from the
superintendent'S proposal, and
custodial services. $4,000. The
County Board added $4,000 to
estimated savings from employ
ing inexperienced teachers when
higher -salaried teachers resign.
In the county budget. a re-
quested increase of about $14O,-
900 in the police budget was
reduced by $42 900.
A civil defense appropriation
of about $4,000 requested by
Mr.. Lundbergl was granted in
full.
OOIuHIlIttCC SVAAuAOAA~Ae
Board Member George M.
Rowzee, jr., commended the
boards Interim Budget Com
mittee, headed by Ernest j. Hol-
comb. The committee had rec
commended that present tax rates
be retained and had suggested
specific cuts in the budget pro-
posals of about 100000, The
committee recommended net
reduction of about $485.00O in
the proposed budgets. including
elimination of the kindergarten
plan.
Mr.. Rowzee said he also had
favored maintaining current tax
rates. The Interim Budget
Committees figures presented at
this time last year. he added.
turned out to be more accurate
than the estimates in the budget
adopted by the board.
Mrs. Leone Bucholz, the
board chairman. said some peo-
pie had urged approval Of the
full 27-cent increase requested
by the School Board on the
ground that Arlington is pros
porous community.
"The lower income groups are
citizens of this county also"
Mrs. Buchholz said. land they
must be considered.
Board Member Wesley w.
Cooper said he believed that the
people. when they elected him
last November, indorSed a con-
servative approach to the budget.
IF popular election is any
barometer at ALL" he added, 'it
would seem that the so-called
conservative vote outnumbers the
so-called liberal vote by about
2 to l."