Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-17
By PAUL HOPE

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More vigorous tax collection
lin nearby Virginia is recon-
mended in a report by q COM
mittee Of the Northern Virginia
Regional Planning Commission.
The report is one Of q series
scheduled in q $4,000 fiscal sur
Iyey paid for by Arlington and
Fairfax counties and the cities
Of Alexandria and Falls Church.
Among the proposed changes
in collection methods and State
laws are these:
Use equity suits. rather than
ordinary tax sales. to recover
unpaid real estate taxes.
Seek authority to permit the
Governor to attach bank ac-
counts Of delinquent taxpayers
who have moved to other States.
This would be done by reciprocal
agreement among the States.
Hold military personnel liable
for Virginia taxes unless they
furnish proof they are legally
domiciled elsewhere.
Appeal to personnel directors
lof Federal agencies for help in
collecting taxes owed by en-
lployes.
Due Next Month
The report Is scheduled for
presentation to the commission
next month. Other phases Of the
survey viii include comparisons
of tax rates, types Of taxes. In
edness, expenditures and dis
tribution Of State tax funds.
Lazlo L. Ecker Rack Of Arling-
ton is chairman Of the commits
Ision's fiscal survey committee.
1.-The field work Is being done by
Dr. Wylie Fitzpatrick, q paid
consultant.
Edgar d. Smith Is chairman
Iof the subcommittee which drew
up the report on tax enforce
ment.
While commenting that North
ern Virginia tax collections
stack up" well with that Of
other parts Of the State, the
report noted a need for improve
lmenf.
"Too many parcels of real
estate are delinquent" and per-
sonal property tax collections
l"look acceptable only by COM
Iparison with worse records and
mot because the Northern Vir-
lginia record Is satisfactory In
ITSELF" the report says.
On the whole, the percentage
lof property taxes delinquent in
Northern Virginia decreased
during the period 1942 to 1864,
the report says. Alexandria
dropped from 81 per cent delin-
quent IN 1912 to 2.5 per cent In
1854: Arlington from 81 to 81:
Fairfax County from % to SIS.
Falls Church delinquency rose
from % per cent In 1850, when
the city was incorporates. 10 III
in 1854.
Ineffective Method
| One of the criticisms Of viz.
ginia law reported by the COM
mittee Is that the procedure for
the sale Of property Of tax delin-
quents ''is ineffective. The time
and trouble Of getting q clear
title to property In ordinary tax
sales makes the procedure In
defective except to prompt the
taxpayer to pay his BILL" the re-
port says.
The equity proceeding. the
same used in recovery Of any
debt. is more expensive but pro-
Ivides a clear title and assures
prompt recovery Of taxes, the
report states.
Legislation is urged to allow
equity proceedings against a
large number of individual prop
critics to be grouped together
into one suit. thereby saving the
lexpense Of multiple suits.
Tax Spread Urged
| The report recommends
spreading out due dates for va
|rious taxes through the year to
better synchronize the financial
calendar with revenue collections.
Involved are real estate, personal
property, business and profess
lsional licenses and motor vehicle
taxes.
It was noted that recommen-
Idations recently were made by
1.-THE Virginia Capital Outlay
Commission for changing the
ldue date Of State income taxes
which now is December S. The
fiscal committee Is suggesting no
Specific changes in collection
dates pending action Of the
General Assembly on the income
tax deadline.
The report suggests that other
/ Jurisdictions study the possibility
of moving up the real estate
ltax due date to August is. a
procedure already in effect in
Arlington. This would reduce the
flag between January / assess
ment and the present payment
Ideadline of December 5.
Semiannual real estate pay
Iments are in effect in Alexan-
dria - June and November -
but the report notes that this
punches payment Of several
separate taxes. mot to mention
Christmas shopping" within a
short period. The first real es-
Itate installment Is due in No.
vember. personal property and
State income taxes are due In