Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-12
|vote.Wi|I Test
School Board
AT Arlington
BY SAM EASTMAN

BY SAM EASTMAN
The balloting to decide Ar
llington's classroom construction
referendum on February 81 viii
laiso provide test of confidence
in the county's elected schoo
board members.
When Arlingtonians go to thu
polls, the only formal referen.
dunn question will be whethel
or not to spend $9.4 million fol
classroom construction.
However. voters also will bt
expressing their opinions ovel
ATTACKS on the board from botf
General Assembly members ant
local critics.
Both partisans and opponents
of the present school board set.
up viii be weighing the chances
of enactment of the pending
legislation. Uncertainty concern.
ling General Assembly action may
cloud the balloting results as far
as they reflect the sentiments oil
county residents.
Moncure Bill Noted
One legislative measure. the
Moncure bill. would abolish the
boards elective status. This pro-
posal has spotlighted contrast
ing liberal-consefvative views
that date back to 1947, when
county residents voted in an
elective board.
Also pending Is bill. intro
duced Friday by Delegate John
B. Boatwright of Buckingham,
that would remove Federal en-
ployes from Virginia's school
boards. Three members Of the
Arlington board are Government
workers.
Yesterday. school board men,
bers turned their attention to
some questions raised locally on
the financial impact that would
follow approval Of the referen-
dunn.
They spoke primarily in reply
to a statement by County Board
Member George M. Rowzee, jr..
that the proposed program would
call for a 93-cent tax rate in
crease.
Statements Contrasted
II the bonds carry a az per
cent interest rate on a 25-year
basis, Mr.. Rowzee said, the in
|terest and principal would cost
Arlington residents % cents per
500 on the tax rate. The bal
ance-71 centS-would be needed
Ito pay for a resulting mini
mum" Jump in school appropria-
tions Of IS per cent. he said.
School Board Chairman (. r.
Draheim labeled the statement
irresponsible and without
fact. . :" He then read into the
record figures from a booklet
prepared by school officials for
background information" on the
bond issue.
The statement assumed a 3
per cent interest rate on a 25-
year basis. and that the bonds
would be sold in blocks Of about
So million every six months.
On this basis. the interest in
the fiscal year 1861 would
call for about a 3-cent increase
in the tax rate. Mr.. Draheim
said.
School Board Member Barnard
JOY said o "fallacy" in Mr.. Row.
zee's reasoning was that an in
crease in school appropriations
is forthcoming. whether the ref
erendum is approved or defeated
Top Cost Factor Cited
The school population will in
crease. Mr.. Joy said. and bring
"a jump in operating costs RE-
gardleSs Of whether we have the
buildings to house" the children.
The bill for teachers salaries is
the greatest single cost factor, he
said.
II there are mo buildings" Mr..
Joy added. the students would be
put in temporary quarters or on
half day schedules.
Board members did not touch
on another question raised by
Mr., RowZee--what consideration
has been given to the result the
bond issue would have on "seri-
ously impeding future county
capital improvements"
The County Board member had
stated that there would be only
about q So million leeway be-
tween the projected bonded debt
and Virginia's legal borrowing
limit for cities.
Called "Most Excessive"
This view was backed by the
Arlington Chamber of Commerce
directors. who passed a resolution
stating that the S9.4 million fg-
ure is most excessive"
The directors said they were
Fundamentally in favor Of a
bond issue of a reduced amount.
sufficient to meet the costs of
the construction Of such schools
as are needed for the immedi-
ate foreseeable future. :"
At yesterdays meeting, Mr..
Joy struck back at critics who
contend that the proposed bond
issue is larger than necessary.
Mr.. Joy said that at the
most" all but So million is needed
to prevent school children from
going on double shifts. The 50
million, he said. is urgently
needed for remodeling work and
for land acquisition for older
raI,-Af,