Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-28
Council Bars
Tax Increase
For Alexandra
Personal Property, :
Real Estate Rates
To Remain Same
BY PAUL HOPE

4
against q tax increase despite
a warning that the cost Of gov
eminent is going to be more
during the next fiscal year.
The City Council last night
set the 1856 real estate tax rate
lat SITS. the same as the present
levy. The personal property rate
OF So also remains the same.
The vote was 6 to l. with
Councilman John TIGER dissent
ling. Mr.. TIGER said the council
did not know enough about fu-
lture budget needs ito set any
kind of a tax rate at this time"
Since the tax rate is based on
a calendar year and the budget
Ion a fiscal year. the new rate
will have to take care Of ex-
Ipenses for half of fiscal 1867.
Matthew Hale, president of the
alexandria PTA Council, noted
that tentative School Board esti-
mates show the School Board
will need 100000 more in the
next fiscal year.
Mr.. TIGER said indications are
THAT 1t will cost a great deal
more to run city government in
ll956-7.
| Mayor Leroy s. Bendheim said
City Manager Ira F. Willard has
presented the council with some
budget information which We
don't care to release at this
time"
However. it has been learned
THAT city departments have re-
Iquested a total Of $9.4 million
for 1867. This is SIS million
more than the present budget.
| Procedure Change Urged
Stuart Morrison. chairman of
Ia citizens government advisory
committee. urged the council to
consider changing the fiscal set
Iup so the budget and tax year
will coincide.
you have to consider the tax
rate before you know what's in
1.-THE budget" he said.
The council authorized the
sale of $2.3 million worth Of cap
Iital improvement bonds. Bids
will be opened at noon January
las.
| The bonds will finance ac-
QUESTION and improvement OF
parks and Fairgrounds. con-
struction Of fire profession facil-
titles, storm and sanitary sewers,
street work. enlargement and
iremodeling Of the city jail. COM
Ipletion Of the restoration of the
Ramsey House. completion Of an
lincinerator and construction OF
a trafflc control building.
First Of New Issue
The bonds will be the first to
be sold OF a $50 million issue
authorized by council two
I months ago.
] The council also eliminated a
gross receipts tax on contractors
to put city contractors in a bet
ter competitive position with
outside contractors. Building
permit fees were raised to make
up the loss in revenue.
! Spokesman for several citizen
groups protested elimination Of
! the tax on contractors because
they said 1t would create a "fa-
vored group" Of businessmen.
They did not object. however, to
providing some form of relief
for contractors which would
not affect the basic tax struc-
ture."
The council authorized a $55,-
900 loan to purchase three lots
in the 100 block Of South Pitt
street for establishment of a
parking lot for the downtown
business area. The Council ex-
poets to create parking author-
lily in the future and turn the
lot over to it and be reimbursed
for the $4,000 expenditure.
The parking lot was recon-
mended by the city planning
commission which said that
when adequate off-street park
ing facilities are obtained for the
downtown area. parking should
be prohibited on King street, the
main downtown traffic artery.