Evening star., 1927-10-02
TAX QUIZ SHOCK
TO COUNTY BOARD
President Perry Does Not
Know Whether He Will Go
or Not, He Says.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, October IA
letter from the State Tax Commission
summoning the Montgomery County
commissioners to Baltimore next
Wednesday for explanations of the
Chevy Chase tax assessment muddle
had the effect Of a bomb down here
In Rockville, the county seat. Presi-
dent Benjamin G. Perry or the county
board said he didn't know whether ne
would go or not. His name was given
the state commission by William
Lyles Offutt and Dion K. Kerr, who
said DIR. Perry and George P. Hoover
advised them about reducing taxes
Offutt and Kerr received their ap-
pointments as Chevy Chase assessors
through DR.. Perry and Hoover. they
said, and when the jobs were gwen
them it was made clear, they sald'
that assessors who increased valua-
tions were not wanted. They made
no rash prmoises" in accepting the
jobs, they said.
Called Serious Matter.
"At the hearing today OF charges
against two of the assessors engaged
in the reassessment of property now
in progress in Montgomery County,
said the letter from Baltimore, con
ditions were disclosed which call for
the serious attention of this commits
sion. Believing that your board VIII
desire to cooperate in remedylng
these conditions, so that there may be
fair treatment to the property owners
of your county as well as to those or
other parts Of the State. we invite
rsifl1
office next Wednesday, October 3, at
IL am.
1--WE are sending a copy Of this let.
ter to each member of your board. -
The letter is signed by J. Enos Ray,
chairman of the State Tax Commits
sion.
The charges, filed September 27, fol-
low: II hereby charge that Dion K.
Kerr and William Lyles Offutt, as
SCISSORS for the Chevy Chase area,
second Bethesda Seventh district Of
Montgomery County, with incom-
potency in that they had improperly
assessed property, to-wit:
81. Lot west 54.15 feet of lot 5
and east of 1885 feet of lot z, block
3, section 1, of Chevy Chase, at $4,000.
which was sold at a fair sale In 1926
for $10,500 and which has been as
sessed since 1925 at $4,000. This prop
erty is now improved by a dwelling
assessed at $4,000.
"2. Lot and west 44.15 feet Of
lot 2, block 8, section /. Chevy
Chase, at S2,605, which sold at fair
has been assessed since 1924 at $3,905,
in each Of which cases the sale price
was on the card In red ink.
"3. Lot ! to 20, block l. section l,
Chevy Chase, at $37 7,65S, in face Of the
fact that these lots were assessed in
1925 at $51,260, and have since re-
manned at that figure, and were sold
in 1925 for $120,590. In 1926 when
these lots were assessed at $51260
they were unimproved and fronted
on but one improved street, Western
avenue. They are now bounded on
four sides by improved streets, with
a concrete alley in the rear of each
lot, and 10 of these lots are now i'm
proved by dwellings, assessed at from
$4,000 to $4,000 each"
Case Under Amusement.
Removal Of the accused assessors,
the only punishment possible at the
hands Of the State board, if the
charges are substantiated, was taken
under advisement pending testimony
of the county commissioners. Besides
DIR. Perry, the members of the county
board are Lacy Shaw, Robert l..
Hickerson, Clagett c. Hilton and
Downing Williams. If business pre-.
vents their trip to Baltimore Wed.
nesday. efforts to rearrange a date
| will be made.
The trouble started several weeks
| ago when Chiswell. taking note OF
the Chevy Chase reductions and the
fact that records Of the assessors had
been removed from the county. de
manded their resignation. Their re
fusal to comply was followed by a
request to the State commission for
an investigation, and the special in
vestigator asked Offutt and Kerr to
| quit. Their refusal resulted in the
charges of incompetency and the
, hearing yesterday at Baltimore. wher
Offutt and Kerr testified that they
were guided by advice or instructions
of those who made their appointment
possible. A..