The Washington times., 1927-10-08

The outline of the proposed city,
as &presented to the Chamber of
Commerce meeting, was naturally
in the embryo, and numerous de-
tails will have to be worked out
before the people of the section in.
volved will take sufficient interest
to give the proposal the impetus
needed to make it successful.
A representative of The Wash.
ington Times was told by Frank
B. Smith, editor of the Prince
Georgian, Mt. Rainier, that smaller
amalgamation plans. on somewhat
smaller scales, had been unsuccessful
in this section in the past, chiefly
because of a failure to arrive at a
financial status satisfactory to the
several communities involved, and
that in his opinion this would be
the chief stumbling block for this
new plan.
Made Up Of City People
"This entire suburban com.
munity," Mr.. Smith SAID, sis com.
posed for the most part of city
people, with city ideas and desires.
Their communities now are incor-
porated towns or small suburban
sections, parts of Prince Georges
county. Because Of the popularity
of the taxation system of the
county, this fast-growing suburban
section is woefully in need of
funds, while at the same time the
taxes seem adequate for the needs,
To many the cause appears plain.
"Over three-fifths of the taxes
paid in these incorporated towns
goes to the county, with less than
one-fifth going to the State, leav-
ing approximately one-fifth for the
towns own fund. While it is true
the county returns small portion
Of the money received from each
town for the upkeep of the county
roads in that town, such return Is
indeed small, compared with the
money paid into the county. The
natural result is that the towns af-
fected pay q considerable portion
for the upkeep Of those things ad-
ministered by the county, and for
the general improvements in the
rural sections OF the county, where
the taxes paid are much less
New Tax Plan Needed
Were some plan evolved whereby
the proposed city would keep for
its own use the taxes collected in
its confines, the State taxes of less
than 80 cents per hundred excepted,
Mr.. Smith feels the people of the
incorporated towns would enthusi-
astically indorse the plan. He said
that "the average corporation tax
Of these towns would be less than
40 cents per hundred dollars, but
taking 40 cents as a basis on which
to figure (the estimated assessed
valuation being $4,000, ,000), the
taxes raised for the town would
be $4,000, which would have as
an auxiliary fund the estimated
road rebate from the county of
$4,000, for a total Of $4,000.
Gould a town Of such a. large
area as this is planned to be, with
the estimated population OF 20 900,
be able to improve the present con.
ditions with such sum? Already
the people OF the section feel the
cost of water and sewer service and
that OF the gas service is excessive.
Investigation shows much of the
difference in these costs of neces-
sites, as compared with those Of
congested city areas, is caused BY
the distances between the homes
being served and between the sec.
tions themselves, installation and
maintenance charges being much
greater. These same differences
would be met in every project un.
dertaken, and, therefore, / feel that
$3.50, 900 annually would be INSULT.
cient to improve present conditions.
necessitating raise in the cor.
poration tax to secure the changes
desired by these city-bred people.
Frankly, believe the people Of
the section win emphatically reject
any proposition which will increase
the tax rate at this time.
zone Alternative
What alternative is there then?
To me it is quite clear. If the
proposed Maryland City could be
declared a tax area unto itself. pay.
Ing out only the required State tax
OF less than 80 cents per hundred.
It would seem an easy matter. Then
the present combined taxes, 1 be.
lieve. would suffice. and MANY
things could be accomplished that
now seem impossible. Baltimore