Evening star., 1954-05-12
Two Budgets
Submitted for
Alexandra
Higher Proposal
Offers Suggestions
For Tux Increases

One, totaling $6,917 ,435, re-
quires no new or higher taxes.
The second. totaling $7.505, ,287,
has five suggested methods of
raising extra revenue, including
q 2 per cent general sales tax.
Both budgets were presented
to the council last night by City
Manager Ira willard. The coun-
Gil had instructed him to sub
NIT dual budgetS-one requiring
no extra taxes and one repre-
senting what he believes neces-
sary to operate the city efficiently
during the forthcoming fiscal
year
Expenditures authorized dur
ing the current year were &c.
814,131. The low budget offered
by Mr.. Willard for next year
represents a is per cent in
crease above 1953-54, and the
larger one is about 10 per cent
higher.
Submit Advisory Alternatives.
The manager makes no speci-
nc recommendation for raising
the extra revenue needed to
finance the higher budget he
favors. His budget message,
instead. contains five possible
alternatives offered by the Citi-
zenS' Advisory Tax Commission.
The total amount of extra
revenue that the higher budget
would require is $585,552.
Here are the five suggestions
Of the tax commission for rals-
ing that amount, listed in order
Of preference:
/. Raise the full amount by
O general 2 per cent sales tax.
2. Raise 100000 additional
from real estate taxes by in
creases in rates and assessments.
Raise another 100000 from a
10 per cent tax on telephone
and telegraph services. Collect
another 100000 from new busi-
ness taxes. including one on
renters and another on de-
veloperS. Raise $85, 900 by a q
cent cigarette tax or an increase
Of 10 per cent in personal prop
erty taxes.
3. Increase personal property
taxes and business and profess
sional license taxes sufficiently
to bring in the full amount of
extra revenue needed.
4. Increase the personal prop
erty tax rate by so per cent.
5. Double existing business
and professional license tax
rates.
Sale Tax Favored.
The tax commission said it
considered the general sales tax
the best available source Of in
creased revenue. The same tax
was recommended in the 1853
81 budget by Mr.. Willard, but
was voted down by the council
after a stormy public hearing.
The cigarette tax also was tried
once before in Alexandria, but
was abandoned after a few
months.
Mr.. willard points out in his
budget message that the higher
budget still is not as high as de-
partment heads totaling $685.
134.
Neither proposed budget gives
the school board the full $2,412,-
723 it requested from the city.
The higher budget provides
$2,173,723 and the lower one
only $2,076,294. Both, however,
are above last years appropria-
tions of $1,940,294.
To stay within current reve-
nues as proposed in the lower
budget, Mr.. Willard said it was
necessary to freeze employment
at present levels and make prac-
tically no allowance for capital
improvements.
Contributions Eliminated.
A number of customary city
contributions were eliminated
from the lower budget proposal,
including one of $8.400 to volun-
tary fire companies; $4,000 to the
citizens band; $500 for United
Daughters of the Confederacy;
$1,000 for the Chamber of Com
merce; 500 for Ivakota Farms;
$3.50 for George Washington
Birthday parade; $1,000 to the
civic orchestra.
Mr.. willard said it also is
necessary to decrease the Alex
andria Hospital appropriation re-
quest for next year by $16,777
in the lower budget.
The lower budget also would
make it necessary to cut the
authorized strength of the police
department from 104 men to 100.
This would not require any dis
misSals because the force is not
UP to its authorized strength.
A one-way traffic system cost
ing $4,000 also is omitted from
the lower budget, and capital
improvements are cut by $134,-
928 below the 1953-54 budget.
Many of the items missing
from the lower budget are found
in the higher one favored by Mr..
Willard. including a full police
force of 104 men. IL new f1remen,
all customary city contributions.
q full allowance Of $48, 900 as re-
quested by the hospital, increases
for capitol improvements and
street maintenance, $4,000 for
the one-way traffic system, $15.-
900 to complete reconstruction
Of the Ramsey House and $780,
900 for reserves such as imple-
menting the anticipated pay
plan and retirement plan.
The council voted to hold a
public hearing on the proposed
budgets in May 81 because the
law requires that one be held
before. June /.
H1-1~.aLC Gill; De-