Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 23, 1976 Page: 1 of 18
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City Budget Tops
Council Agenda
TAR
lA
Thursday, September 23,1976
Burleson, Johnson County, Texas
Vol 11 No. 48
Home Is Damaged
August Sales Tax Check
Largest Ever For City
k
AtState Convention
Johnson County Democrats
BackG
rvativeJEfforts
Taxpayer Group May
Take School To Court
Burleson Woman Testifies
On State Education Program
xcellence, told the
United Way Campaign
Lagging In Burleson
RECEIVES
PHOTOGRAPHS-
ing the amount of oxygen
available to feed the flames.
earmarked for street
provements and for
purchase of automotive
heavy equipment.
Local taxes account
Bullock mailed checks last
week totaling $56.6 million
to the 855 cities and towns
collecting the one-cent tax as
their September rebate.
He noted that city sales
tax rebates have totaled
$230 million so far this year,
nearly 18 percent ahead of
the $195 million rebated
during the same period in
1975.
by
2A
TWO SECTIONS
18 PAGES
The United Way of Met-
ropolitan Tarrant County
has achieved over 36 percent
of its 1976 goal, but Burle-
son’s division has reached
just barely half of that
figure, revealed a report
released this week by the
UW.
Top group among the 19
divisions reporting at the
report dinner this week was
the Federal division with
64.8 percent of its goal
already collected. The Mer-
cantile Division, including
the Burleson campaign, was
third from the bottom with
only 19.3 percent of its goal.
Local UW chairman Den-
nis Key, manager of the
Burleson Chamber of Com-
merce, urges all businesses
and residents to participate
in the campaign and put
ITtFo ri-
ch Sat-
,rgest
Hrom
■Bul-
are
im-
the
and
-Hear a report from the
Ambulance Subsidy Commit-
tee and consider recommen-
dations on an ambulance
subsidy.
-Consider final reading on
an ordinance prohibiting un-
attended parking on the east
and west service roads-of
I.H. 35W.
-Consider appointments
to city boards.
-Award bids on PVC pipe
and fittings for replacement
of water lines.
-Award bids on one as-
phalt distributor and also on
a two ton truck to be used
with the asphalt distributor.
-Consider minor office re-
modeling in City Hall to
provide additional office
space.
-Consider first reading on
an ordinace concerning park-
ing lot restrictions.
-Consider first reading on
an amendment to an existing
ordinance concerning side
yard widths.
-Approve payments of
statements exceeding $500.
-Hear monthly reports.
the City during ceremonies at City Hall on
Sept. 15. Mrs. Mary Norris, who served as
chairman of the bicentennial project of the
Eumathian Club, gave a brief history of all
the mayors during the ceremony. See
related story elsewhere in this issue.
Two injuries from broken
glass were reported, both of
a minor nature. One was a
Burleson fireman and the
other a bystander who broke
out a window in an unautho-
rized attempt to help the fire
department.
Mrs. Szurgot and .the
three children were home at
the time the fire started and
a three and a half year old
boy playing with a cigarette
lighter is listed as a possible
cause of the blaze. The origin
of the fire was determined to
be in his room, Fire Marshall
Chester Smith said.
providing the required in
' come for all water and sewer
revenue bond ordinances.”
A new budget account has
also been provided for addi-
tional engineering services
to help solve critical engine-
ering problems, England
said.
No increase in taxes or
cost of city services is
required by the new budget.
A REVENUE OF $100,000
is expected from federal
revenue sharing, but if this
money does not come
through as expected there
state Instructional Resource
Committee earlier this
Other cities in this area
and the amount received
from the one percent city
sales tax were (roundest to
nearest dollar): Alvarado,
$4,469; Benbrook, $21,960;
Cleburne, $84,397; Crowley,
$4,942; Everman, $8,323;
Forest Hill, $28,287; Fort
Worth, $2,335,231; Godley,
$687; Granbury, $19,122;
Grandview, $2,374; Hills-
boro, $35,990; Joshua,
$3,252; Keene, $6,964; Ken-
nedale, $8,630; Mansfield,
$14,683; Rio Vista, $410; and
Venus, $330.
unjust tax evaluations. We
will take this situation to
court in a class-action suit.”
Signing the letter was
H.F. Massey, Don R. Powell,
F.G. Wyatt and N.G. Harris.
Wyatt appeared at a
school board meeting on
Aug. 23 and complained to
the board that his home was
overvalued. A review of tax
records indicated that pro-
perty surrounding his was
valued at between $9,500
and $22,000, he said, while
his had a valuation of over
$50,000.
“Yes, I would sell at that
price,” he told the board in
, response to a question, but
added that it would be hard
to sell a $50,000 residence in
a neighborhood of $10-22,000
homes.
The Rt. 2 man gave
several specific examples of
what he considered to be tax
inequities and termed the
present taxation system “tax
discrimination.”
HE CLAIMED that land
was given preferential treat-
ment on the tax rolls and
that other items-such as
boats and recreational vehic-
les should be taxed and were
not.
He also voiced objections
to the makeup of the Board
of Equalization, calling them
close friends of the tax
assessor. One of them is a
partner of the tax assessor in
a real estate holding, he
added.
His recommendations at
that time were:
-To retain an outside firm
to re-evaluate all property in
the district.
-Change values annually
to reflect the change in the
Fort Worth area price index.
-A systematic method of
revision so that the entire
district is reviewed every
three years.
-A change in the method
of selecting the Equalization
Board so that members
would be picked at random.
-Termination of the pre-
sent tax assessor-collector.
THE BOARD discussed
these points at length with
Wyatt, Tax Assessor-Collec-
CLEANING OUT THE DEBRIS-Burleson Volunteer
Firemen and neighbors begin the job of cleanup Saturday
evening after a fire had been extinguished at the
residence of the Phillip Szurgot family at 557 N.W. King.
Fire damage was limited principally to a bedroom in the
home, but smoke damage was extensive throughout. Star
Danid Paasch.
Sales tax collections for
the year passed $100,000 last
week when the City of
Burleson received its 11
ever sales tax check
State Comptroller Bd
lock’s office.
The $33.x-C
pusheddjJH
A frame house in north-
east Burleson was heavily
damaged by smoke and fire
late Saturday afternoon.
Flames were contained in
a single bedroom by the
Burleson Volunteer Fire De-
partment, but smoke dam-
age was extensive through-
out the Phillip Szurgot home
at 557 N.W. King. Clothes
and most furnishings in the
house were ruined by the
intense heat and smoke,
Szurgot told the Star this
week.
The alarm was sounded at
about 4:30 Saturday after-
noon and Burleson firemen,
several of whom were al-
She challenged use of
values education on the basis
that it “conflicts with Chris-
tian principles and teach-
ings, thus violating the Unit-
ed States Constitution and
the religious freedom of
Christian students”.
Another request made
during her testimony was to
make the drug and crime
prevention program a sepa-
rate class rather than a
“multiple disciplinary” plan
in several classes. That
would result in review by
the state textbook commit-
tee of a “Values Clarifica-
tion” handbook, she said.
The book is for use
SEE TESTIFIES PAGE
education contained in it.
She and a woman from
Mansfield School District,
Mrs. Joyce Taylor, testified
in a hearing in Austin on
Sept. 10.
Mrs. Gillaspie said she
objected to a “new set of
values” within the drug
education program “being
imposed upon our children
through a value system with
many titles: Values Clarifi-
cation, Transactional Analy-
sis, Group Process, Decision
Making, Learning to
Think...”
Bullock said this week that
an analysis by his depart-
ment shows that procedure
of rebating city sales taxes
monthly rather than quart-
erly has turned out to be a
real help to Texas city
governments.
Since the monthly rebates
began in April, 1975, the
Comptroller’s Office has
turned back to the cities 19
percent of their allocation 60
days sooner and 41 percent
30 days sooner than they
(would have gotten it under a
quarterly system, Bullock
Laid.
■ “This means these cities
ni put their money to work
Bter, earning interest or
Boviding services^’M the
■omptroller said. “TiWcity
Wes tax money belongs to
tile cities in the first place
and never should have been
held in Austin until the end
of the quarter.”
A group of rural area aid of others who feel that
residents who feel that there they have been victims of
is an inequity in tax evalua-
tions in the Burleson Inde-
pendent School District ap-
parently are ready to take
their complaints to district
court if something is not
done on the local level.
In a letter written to THE
SJAR this week, the group
says, “We have apparently
exhausted all avenues of
appeal for equity short of a
Court of Law...We are or-
ganizing and enlisting the
A Burleson woman has
appeared before a state
board of education commit- month that she opposed the
tee protesting a new crime program because of values
prevention and drug abuse
education program being in-
stalled in Texas public
schools.
Mrs. Gloria Gillaspie, a
member of the local chapter
of the Association of the W’s
and an officer in a state
organization known as the
National Congress of Educa-
tional
Putting out a newspaper
involves more than hacking
away at a typewriter and
popping a few flashes with
the ol’ Kodak occasionally.
If he wasn’t already aware
of it, Star Publisher Wayne
Hutson has had this fact
driven home to him since he
and two other publishers
went together and purchas-
ed a press.
Lately, the Star publisher
has spent more time runn-
ing-and working on-the
press than he has in his
office. He-was catching new-
spapers as they ran off the
press one day this week
when a high school boy that
works for him asked if he
had began his newspaper
career in that manner.
“No,” he said. “I started
out as an editor and publish-
er and worked my way
down.”
THE FALL SEASON,
SEE FOLKS PAGE 2A
tor Ed Carroll and members
of the Board of Equalization
and agreed to study the
matter further although re-
jecting more recommenda-
tions.
Cost of an independent
appraiser was placed at
between $100-125,000 by
School Supt. Bill Stribling
and Board Member Bill
McClure said he would feel
resentful of an outsider
coming into the district.
Board Vice-president Jim-
mie Coontz noted that while
many persons were willing
to complain, few were will-
ing to serve on the Equalizat-
ion Board.
Stribling also noted that a
percentage change on pro-
perty values would probably
not stand up in court if
challenged.
The School District al-
ready has a constant revalu-
ation program it was also
pointed out.
Contacted at his office this
week, Carroll said that he
recommended that the group
go to court if they are that
dissatisfied with valuations
on their property.
“I think that every taxpay-
er should have his day in
court if he so desires,”
Carroll said, but added that
such an action might back-
fire on school district taxpay-
ers.
“The court may instruct us
to tax all items required by
law,” he said, “which would
include cars, boats, RV’s and
household furnishings over
$250.”
THIS IS HOW automobil-
es got on the tax rolls in
Irving, he said.
A failure to tax auto-
mobiles resulted in a higher
local fund assignment for
Burleson under the new
education bill enacted last
year by the state legislature.
Estimated tax revenue from
automobiles is arbitrarily
assigned to every school
district’s ability to pay its
own way whether or not
these taxes are actually
collected.
He also noted that in his
opinion, the Board of Equali-
SEE SUIT PAGE 2A
Burleson “over the top” of its
goal.
All businesses in the com-
munity should have been
contacted by a UW Loaned
Executive by the end of the
week, Key said. Any busi-
ness that has not been
contacted and would like to
participate in the campaign
can call Key at the Chamber
office, 295-2412.
Almost 3,000 Burleson
area residents were helped
in some way by United Way
agencies last year, Key
reminded. Local groups re-
ceiving financial aid from the
UW include the girls scouts,
boy scouts, Camp Fire girls
and the Burleson Boys Club.
All agencies in Fort Worth
and Tarrant County are also
available to persons from
Burleson.
ready at the fire hall work-
ing on a truck, were quickly
on the scene to prevent the
fire fr om spreading through-
out the house.
Thick, black smoke pour-
ing from every opening in
the, h^qse made it hard to
determine just where the
fire was at first, said Assis-
tant Fire Chief Lloyd Carter.
Firefighters equipped with
masks and backpacks went
into the burning structure to
locate the source of the
flame^, Carter added.
Another thing which help-
ed keep the flames from
spreading, noted Carter^ was
that the house was closed up
when firemen arrived, limit-
One delegate said that a
major change in party rules
was in the seating of young
voters on the state executive
committee. Previously both
the pi\esident and the vice
prefijdApt'of thej/iuth Advi-
sory Council ’ a trtuidavx'tJ&j*"
served on the state DEC.
CITY
Accepting photographs of former mayors
in behalf of the City of Burleson is Mayor
Robert Ables. Mrs. Barbara Putnam,
president of the Eumathian Club, present-
ed 13 framed photos of former mayors to
_____ _______ _____ for
23.29 percent of the budget
and are expected to bring in
$355,000. The one percent
city sales tax should account
for almost 10 percent of the
city’s revenue, or $151,936.
A public hearing on the
proposed budget will be the
first item of business after
the meeting is called to order
and the previous minutes
approved.
OTHER MATTERS on
the agenda are:
-Consider the final plat of
lot 1 and 2, Block 1 of the
Lowe Acres.
-Consider the preliminary
plat of tract A, Smith Acres.
-Consider an amusement
center ordinance on first
reading.
-Consider proposed im-
provements to Warren Park.
Johnson County
crats voted solidly!
conservative and la J
tion to reelect Calm
of Bryan as cha^fl
Texas Democra^H
the Democratic^"
vent ion in Fort yl
urday. f/*
Local delegates reported a 1
strong battle between liberal J
and conservative wings of
the party with the liberals
gaining most of the conven-
tion victories.
Major exception was the
reelection of Guest who
drew strong opposition from
John Tatum of Lufkin. Final
vote was 1948 to 1345.
Johnson County delegates
caucused on Thursday a
week prior to the convention
and decided to unite as a
conservative group in sup-
port of like candidates for
state party office.
As a result, Julianan Cow-
den of Alvarado was reelect-
ed secretary of the State
Democratic Executive Com-
mittee and George Watkins
of Burleson was elected to
convention nominations com-
mittee.
In the District 22 caucus,
Johnson County delegates
■ped reelect Jerry Craft of
■ksborc and Mrs. Wanda
■r.tori of Gainesville to the
■e DEC.
■ n attempt by the conser-
■ivecaucusb was defeated
’ sCdc—
^Vnt of principles” subsiitu-
Bl for state party platform
1 Inally adopted by the dele-
gates.
■ Reelection of Guest was
■ nerally seen as a victory
w* Gov. Dolph Briscoe in his
bid to retain the top leader-
ship role of the party.
However, local delegates
noted that Guest will be in
the minority on the state
committee with the seating
of more liberal members
newly elected.
Delegates to the conven-
tion were George and Geral-
dine Watkins, Vera Calvin
and Loy and Mary Norris, all
of Burleson; Bob Mahanay,
Bill Anderson (county chair-
man) and Bettina Peters, all
of Cleburne; Julianan Cow-
den, Claudia Brummet and
David Wilkins, all of Alvar-
ado; John A. Jones and
Herbert Alfrey, Godley; Er-
nest Brister, Lillian; Ann
Hughett, Rio Vista, and
Mike Rodriques of Venus.
By Fire Saturday
The Burleson City Council will be no limiting of munici-
| k faces a 23-item agenda at pal operations or restructur-
* ' tonight’s meeting and five of ing of the budget, England
them pertain to the 1976-77 said. The federal funds
city budget of $1,618,073.
Instead of the usual three
readings, the budget will be
treated as an emergency
item and approved on one
reading since the city’s fiscal
year begins on Oct. 1.
The budget was completed
and submitted later than
usual this year due to the
changes in the city manager
the subsequent recall
jons of two city council-
•e new positions with
i \ will be created by
ud^et to “alleviate
oblems and initi-
/on new proposed
rograr ” City Manager
ames England said in a
letter to councilmen which
proceeds the budget in the
82 page bound book.
If these positions are
approved by the council,
most of the new employees
would be a part of the
outside labor force. Other
new positions opened would
be a city accountant, a public
works director and addition-
al personnel for the police
department.
Several salary adjust-
ments have also been made
for the upcoming year, said
England in the letter.
“These...have been complet-
ed only after extensive re-
search and an overall plan
developed to equalize salar-
ies and establish a growth
pattern to compensate and
maintain competent, experi-
enced employees,” he contin-
ued.
/ "■
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Hutson, Wayne & Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 23, 1976, newspaper, September 23, 1976; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1212007/m1/1/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.