Evening star., 1954-10-31
ArIinqton Voters Will Decide
On $4.5 Million Bond Issues
By WiIIiom J. EIvin

By WiIIiom j. Elvin
Arlington voters will ballot
Tuesday on six bond issues total
ing $4.550.0 900.
Two proposals have been be-
fore the voters previously. A
plan to buy land near the Court
house and in other areas was
rejected by the voters in 1851,
and another to build swimming
pools was held invalid in a court
action brought by Attorney John
Locke Green after the voters
approved it.
The five bond issues Endorsed
by the County Board would i'm
prove the water system. provide
for new fire stations, add to the
county incinerator. acquire land
for storm drainage, and buy the
land for future county buildings.
Swimming Pool Program.
Also up for a vote is a $500, 900
program for county swimming
pools,
AS in the rest Of Virginia,
county residents will decide in
a referendum whether the State
Constitution should be amended
to permit county school boards
to borrow money from the Re-
tirement System without a public
vote.
Another question before voters
is whether the County Court
Judge, now elected by the people,
should be appointed by the senior
Judge of the Circuit Court. The
proposed change is opposed by
County Republicans.
County officials believe the five
programs Endorsed by the County
Board are necessary to keep up
with the Six-Year Plan of pub
lie improvements. They say that
rejection by the voters will re-
suit ultimately in greater cost to
taxpayers.
Increase Water Bills.
County Manager A. T. Lund-
berg estimates that the water
program will add about 4 cents
per 1000 gallons to water bills
The other five bond issues, in
Guiding the pools proposal, would
add about 6 cents to current tax
rates, the manager says.
There has been no organized
opposition to the projects as a
whole but the County Civic Fed
Grafton is against the 100000
bond issue to acquire land for
county buildings.
Because of scattered water
shortages resulting in county
wide restrictions on use of water
last summer, the SIT million
water system improvement bond
issue is expected to pass.
The swimming pool referen-
| dunn, placed on voting machines
at. the request of more than 1000
citizens, is bound to be warmly
contested.
Other Projects Endorsed.
On the other four projects
voters have before them the in
dorsements of the County Board
and the County Development
Committee, as well as statements
by county officials.
Existing county debt is about
$50 million, with about $19' mil
lion of this amount in school
bonds. About 81 million of the
total debt will be paid off IN the
current fiscal year. The school
board plans another bond issue
request next year to meet new
construction needs.
Questions fO- Public.
These are the questions as
they will appear on voting ma
chimes:
| l.. Shall section one hundred
f1fteen-A of the Constitution OF
Virginia be amended so as to
permit county school boards to
borrow money from the Retire
ment System, without a vote OF
the people?
This amendment has the in
dorsement Of the State Board OF
Education and the Arlington
School Board. 1t is expected tc
be helpful to smaller counties
and to meet emergency needs
of more populous areas.
2. Shall the trial justice of the
county be appointed by the
senior judge of the circuit court
of the county?
The appointment procedure
usually results in selection of ar
attorney indorsed by the local
bar association.