Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-11-25

the heavy hand of taxation, there
fore, if you can reduce the expenses
of your various counties you'll be
doing big work. But it's a hard job.
I'll be tremendously interested in the
result of your conference and feel
confident it will result in satisfac-
tory achievements"
The meeting was called to order
by Elmer E. Parkinson, president of
of Anne Arundel County, at whose
invitation the conference was held.
Before turning the gavel over to
Senator Melvin, Mr.. Parkinson
sounded the keynote of the meeting
in about a dozen words. eve are
here because taxes must be reduced
and this is the best way to find out
how to go about it," he said.
when the Boards of Commission
ers throughout the State recognize
! the necessity of tax reduction it is q
most hopeful sign," Senator Melvin
said. "This meeting is for the pur-
pose of discovering ways and means
to provide relief for the taxpayers
who are now faced with the necessity
of emergency action. We are here
to tackle that emergency in a spirit
of real determination and relief must
be provided"
George Fox, County Superintend-
ent of Education of Anne Arundel
county, was called upon to outline
the costs of schools and the effect a
minimum school tax of 80 cents or
40 cents would have if the proposed
reduction was put into effect. He
explained that the school tax, now
fixed by law at a minimum of 81
cents on each 800, must be levied by
each county, before it can share in
the equalization fund.
Mr.. Fox said, if fixed at 40 cents,
the equalization fund would cost the
State approximately $2,624, 900 more
than under the present plan. Of
this sum, $1,144,000 would be appor-
toned to Baltimore City, and 81, 4S0,-
900 to the counties. If fixed at a
minimum rate of 80 cents, he said
it would cost the State $5,726. 900
more, of which Baltimore City would
get $2,203, 900, and the counties
$9,523,000. Under the existing plan,
the State now raises about $1,000, 900
for the school fund.
When Mr.. Fox offered to answer
any questions that might be asked
concerning the school question he
reckoned without his hosts who soon
made it necessary for him to leave
the meeting and go to his office for
data on which to base his replies.
Sensing the politial dynamite with
which the school question is charged,
it looked for a short while as if the
matter would be handled sort of GIN
gerly, but when Herbert H. Balch.
who presented the school resolution
got warmed to his subject, the rep
resentatives of most of the other
counties emulated his lead and in no
uncertain terms denounced what was
repeatedly declared to be a franken-
stein which is rejecting the most
dreadful retribution upon its creator.
ITS reached the point where the
county commissioners, the governing
bodies of the counties, have been re-
duced to mere automatons, said Mr..
Balch. You've got to raise so much
money for roads and so much money
for schools by direction of the law.
will not discuss the question of
teaching eolored girls the use of cleo
trical appliances and such things
while there are people in Talbot
county who are renting their farms
on leases which provide that if you'll
pay the taxes and insurance, take
the farm.
ut has reached the point where
many taxpayers are doing without
necessities. 1, personally know nine
or ten boys who graduated from high
school with gold medals, vet they
cannot enter college without spend
ing two years in prep schools. We
must cut down the overhead in the
schools. l know it is difficult but
that is why we are here. We have
been made helpless by the artificial
standard set up by the State. Isn't
there some one here who can say
how we can cut down overhead with
out juggling figures?"
Mr.. Balch enumerated a number
of "frills" which he said could be
eliminated from the schools. and con-
cluded by stating that his county
found it necessary to build some
roads to accommodate school buses
which could not get through some of
the dirt roads in winter. His remarks
were greeted with much applause.
Former Senator J. H. C. Legg, of