Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15
Maryland's Park Plans.

The bill now before the Maryland
Legislature, authorizing bond issues to
furnish park purchase and development
revenues in Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties, is expected to be
passed at this session. Its passage
would constitute one Of the most i'm
portant and progressive steps yet taken
to assure the development Of the
metropolitan area along the lies laid
down by the planners, and would do
more than anything else to increase the
value, for residential purposes, Of the
already attractive and popular Mary
land suburbs.
So far there have been no commit
ments from either Maryland or Vir-
GINA that would warrant the advance
of the Federal loans provided in the
Capper-Cramton park law for the pur-
chase of park lands outside the
boundaries Of the District. The bill be-
fore the Maryland Legislature is the
first guarantee from Maryland that it
would accept and repay, under the
terms Of the Capper- law, the
interest-free loans, money for which is
now available in the Treasury for inn
mediate use. The bill provides that
Montgomery County may bond itself
for S1.2o0,000 Prince Georges County,
If the county commissioners Apr ove,
for $500, 600, but the bonds need not be
issued nor any interest paid until 1910
In the meantime, should the bill be
enacted, the Federal Government viii
make immediately available the two
thirds contribution expected from the
counties, to be covered by the subse-
quent issue of bonds, and, in addition,
its own contribution of third. If the
State of Maryland appropriated an ad-
ditional 100000 as its part Of the
cost, total fund Of $4,5Oo,ooO would
be available for the purchase and de-
velopment Of land for parks.
Proponents of the bill, who are in
the majority, believe that in the eight
years intervening between now and
the time the counties would issue their
bends the assessment base in the
metropolitan area would be at least
doubled. That is based upon a predic-
ton of growing property values, TO
which park development would of
course contribute, and upon an esti-
mated growth Of population. The higher
assessment base would permit of a
lower taxation burden spread among
the communities benefting by the i'm
provements. There Is some difference
of opinion as to the extent Of this
growth in property values, but the
rapid development Of the Maryland
suburban area in the last ten years is
an indication Of the growth expected in
the next decade. The trend Of popula-
ton movement is from the city TO the
suburbs, and this trend will be more,
not less, marked in the next few years.
Maryland's policy of home rule ac-
counts for a difference between the
terms Of the bill as they apply to
Montgomery and Prince Georges Coun-
ties. In the case of Montgomery the
loan is authorized, without strings tied
to it. In Prince Georges the acceptance
of the loan depends upon the approval
Of the county commissioners. Their
attitude now is doubtful But Prince
Georges holding back will mean the
county's loss. When the possibilities OF
park development are realized by the
taxpayers. there should be no hesitancy
in going forward with projects that will
| fully repay the initial investment.