Evening star., 1928-03-27
'PRINCE GEORGES
TAX RATE EISFIXED
County Levy Set at $1.30 on
Basis OF New 100 Per Cent
Assessments.
snecisl n1enatcb 10 Tbe s,ar

UPPER MARLBORO. March ?7.--
The tax rate for Prince Georges Coun-
tv for the wear l92S-29. was fixed late
yesterday afternoon by the board Of
county commissioners. DR.. Harry NJ.
Bowen president: George w. Waters.
Rrice Bowie. Theodore B. Middleton and
w A. Duvall at $3.50 on each SlO0
of assessed real estate, personal prop
crtv and household goods throughOut
the county. The real and personal
property assessment is $55iSo359 and
the assessment Of household goods, ST.
3af .46O. making a total Of $50, 6,42i .Sl9.
ON This aSSeSSable basis there will be
raised STSS. .4S3 6S. the greater portion
or which will so 70 defray the expenses
Of the schools and the maintenance OF
roads and bridges.
In addition 10 the 81 80 rate. taXpay-
erS in the county will pay State taxes
al the rate or 2S ga cents on each SlOo
on the SIS. .lS0.359 basis, or Sl4l,354.24.
In the case Of household goods no taxes
are paid the State on assessments OF
$500 or less. and on $500 assessment
the county eXemptS Sl0o. In the more
thicklv settled parts Of the county ao-
,oinine and near the District of Column
his line there will be an additional tax
~ Is cents on each Sl00. This territory
* embraced within the Washington
Suburban Sanitary District and the
MARYLAND National Capital Park ana
Planning Commission. and includes the
election districts Of NanSVllie. BladenS-
burg. Kent HyattSville. Chillum Seat
Pleasant RiveTdale Lanham ana Bef-
Wyn
The sanitary commission requested
the county commissioners TO incluue IN
.hei~ lew a rate Of L cents on each
&I00. as acslnS, cents for the past
war. This l2-ceut rate means tnat
the sanitary commission Will receive
more than sal 600 this year. as against
a little over Sll. 900 in 1927. The COM
nafsSi0nerS were not inclined 10 grant
this increased rate. and ii was only alter
getting the opinion Of their counsel, NJ
Hampton Magruder, that they were
without leea! authority TO refuse the
commissions request that the levy
books we're finally signed.
Bowie Opposes Plan.
Commissioner Brice Bowie of River
dale was especially antagoniStlc TO
granting the request. and 1t was only
after T Howard Duckett chairman OF
the sanitary commission, was summoned
from Washington and explained the ne
ceSsitv for the increase that Commis-
sioner Bowie yielded Duckett stated
result os protests against an increased
front charge by the commission Tor
water and sewer service, many persons
declining TO pay the assessments until
the courts mad established the right OF
the commission 10 levy the increase.
Litigation over the right of the COM
mission 70 charge this advance IN 'front.'
foot charges mas been going on for the
past two years and the case As now IN
the Court of appeals Of Maryland. the
commission having appealed from de-
cision of the Circuit Court OF Montgom-
cry County several weeks ago.
A similar case TO that decided ad-
verselv to the commission by the Mont
gomery County Circuit Court was
recently argued in the Circuit Court
Of Prince Georges County before ASso-
clafe Justice Joseph c. Mattingly OF
the seventh judicial circuit OF Mary
land. The general opinion prevails that
Judge Mattingly viii make no decision
IL the case
The newly created zoning commits ]
sion vas granted a 3-cent rate on
property IN the sanitary district.
In view Of the increase in the assess
able basis from $40 SAT .040 20 s55I30.-
$50 on real and personal property and
q reduction of the county tax rate from
s. SO 10 81 30. the taxpayers bill VIII
not be greatly increased even where
individual assessments have been no
ticeably advanced.
The revenue from taxes on house
hold goods win be materially reduced.
Tr 1927. at a 8i62 rate. the revenue
was 1928 SIS. while this year. with
an assessment basis Of 81 2eI 460 and
q rate Of $50, the revenue viii be but
fls.73Ss3
Strenuous Job Ends.
The 1929 and 1927 assessable bases
on household goods follow By districts,
fne 1929 figures being shown first.
flzT.e30 sS4. .S05 Marlboro. $4,000
tfe.4l5 Nottingham 1890. sl3,25S.
Plscata&ay. gg444. 1920. Spaulding
E53.2i5. $40 375. Queen Anne. &i5.375,
$1,000. Aouasco &l3.3 $50. Sl2.330 Sur
rats, S2i .o09. sii .255, Laurel. s85 $50.
fl05,lT5. Brandywine. $i7,775. si3i35.
Ozon Hill s34 300. SIS $50 Kent. s12,-
s00. tI3 $50 Bowie. &33.375. s65 .995.
kell8ood, ti55S0. $4,000; HyattsgilIe.
si5e.375. tlss $50. Cnillum. S257 .925.
sz0e.sz0 Seat Pleasant, 500 OTIS. a5e.-
1876 EIveroale Si42.s30, tii5.9I5: Lam
ham. SIzS50 SIT 100, Eerwyn. 1iie.55O.
1925 Total. 1929. 81 ,29I 400. 1927,
ai3ssg55.
The signing q the levy books yester-
c2T encG the most strenuous work any
board ~ county commissioners ia Prince
Georges has ever experienced. The
Legislature some years ago ordered the
State tax commission 20 order the gari-
o3e counties ~ make q general geasses-
n1ent ~ sl. property throughout lie
Gs8f
The county commissioners we're With
ogt discretion 10 the premises and the
gsW requiring property ~ be sssesse1
~ 90 pr cent Vaiuatlon caused
them ng4eH embarrassment and consld-
eFsDle criticism.