Evening star., 1928-10-26
SUBURBAN TOWNS
URGED To MERGE
Mount Rainier and Brent
wood Geographically One,
Says G. w. Baker in Plan.
Special Dispatch to The starr

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BRENTWOOD, Nd, October 26-
Consolidation of Mount Rainier and
Brentwood, with q provision for Cot
tage City, Meyers Park, Colmar Manor
and Lenox later, If these towns desire
to be included, has been proposed by E.
w. Baker of this city. following the ap-
parent discontinuance of the Maryland
City projects. which was to have taken
a larger area into municipal bounds.
Mount Rainier and Brentwood are
contiguous and geographically one"
said Mr.. Baker today. "They have one
railroad station through which all mail,
express and freight for the two towns
IS received. That portion of Thirty
fourth street north of Baker street is
abutted on the one side by Mount
Rainier homes and on the other by
those in Brentwood. Permanent i'm
provement of this street can be made
and assessed against the property own
erS on both sides If the two towns are
made one. Banks, stores and schools
are used by the two towns in common,
and the proposed high school, for which
land adjoining Mount Rainier and
Brentwood has been purchased, is for
the benefit of all of the towns above
mentioned. The drainage system of the
two towns should be treated as one.
Drainage Tax Question.
'The proposed increase in town tax
In Brentwood to take care of drainage
would bring the town TAX rate up to
about 80 cents on the $100 assessed val
uation, based on the county assessment.
The rate in Mount Rainier is 40 cents
on the 500, the assessed valuation being
lower than the county assessment. The
dlfterence In tax rate should not, there
fore, be an objection, as the benefits
will be greater.
I'm bringing about q consolidation of
the towns of Mount Rainier and Brent
wood, including possibly other nearby
towns, careful study of the form of
government to be adopted should be
made, with view to procuring the one
most suitable and best adapted to the
needs OF the community. The mayor
and council form of government appears
to be the most popular, and is in use
In the majority of the towns in this
vicinity. However, other forms of gov
ernment such IS under a city manager
or city commissioners, should be given
consideration. 1t is believed wise to
have Mount Rainier continue under its
present name and charter as amended,
with such further amendments to its
charter as necessary to incorporate
Brentwood and other towns with and
under the name Of Mount Rainier.
Plan for Legislation.
"It is suggested that a separate
amendment be presented to the Legis-
lature for each town which desires to
consolidate with Mount Rainier, so that
II the measure to incorporate any one
town with Mount Rainier is lost in the
referendum vote Of that town, it will
not affect the other towns or prevent
them from being so incorporated if.
passed by referendum. Provision should
be made to take over any and all
indebtedness of the town of Brentwood
or the other towns. In the case of
Brentwood, the only indebtedness is for
street and sidewalk improvements made
this past Summer amounting to about
$4,000, aSSeSSable against the front-foot
property owners and payable in four
years. This Indebtedness could be
taken over under the Mount Rainier
street Improvement amendment to the
town charter, which provides for the
issuance of bonds to run for a period
of 10 years. The Brentwood property
owners would thus be given 10 years
to pay for their street improvements
instead OF 4 years as at present. Also
additional concrete roads can be con-
structed In Brentwood next year under
this plan, whereas it will be impos-
sible If the town remains separate, as
the limit of the amount of funds the
town can expend already has been
reached under the present road bill.
"AS in union there is strength 50
in the combination of the several towns
OF Mount Rainier and vicinity viii
there be added strength and unity. and
the towns will become city, prosperous
and stronger financially and in every
way. Rhode Island avenue is to be
extended through Mount Rainier and
Brentwood, thus making another link
joining the two towns.
mo official action has been taken by
any of the towns toward the proposed
consolidation and the matter is Simply
brought before the people for discus
sion and expression of opinion. It is
believed that the step is a logical one.
and If public opinion warrants it, steps
looking to the necessary legislation will
be taken"