Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-12-22

montgomery OOuIity taxpayers Will
have substantially reduced tax bills
to pay next year, Lacy Shaw, presi-
dent of the Board of Montgomery
County commissioners, assured men,
bers and friends of the the Non-Par-
tisan Taxpayers League Friday night
at meeting held in the Gaithersburg
High School. The crowd of about 400
who attended the meeting vociferouslyi
applauded the announcement of Mr..
Shaw and there was but little doubt
in the mind of anyone attending the
rally that rural Montgomery County
is definitely in favor of reduced taxes,
'let the axe fall where it may"
The gathering was also addressed
by Bowie F. Waters, Rockville lawyer
and W. Clinton McSherry, counsel for
the Board of commissioners for Fred
erick County and a prime mover in
the Annapolis conferences of county
commissioners seeking substantial re-
auctions in the various county tax
rates.
Mr.. Shaw, taking the COM
ments of the preceding speaker Mr..
Waters, in good faith, said that he
was in accord with the primary objec-
tives Of the taxpayers. "Taxes must
be reduced he agreed. But can we
eliminate police protection, when the
people want it? Can we lower the
standards of our schools when the
people want the best for their chill
dren?"
The president of the board of county
commissioners, pledged that taxes
would be substantially reduced
through the application of a 10 per
cent cut in the salaries of all county
officials. He furthermore expressed the
opinion that other means of revenue
might be produced through the pro-
posed State taxes on race track
gambling, excuses on cigarettes, to-
bacco and other luxuries. The tenor of
his remarks stressed the advisability
of indirect taxes as the best mean of
raising necessary State and county
funds without endangering the whole
progressive set-up of Maryland and
Montgomery county.
Mr.. Shaw once again definitely plac-
ed the Montgomery County admins
tration in favor of having the State
Roads Commission taking over the !
county roads. He emphasized the
economy which might be brought |
about through the Capitalization Of
the administration of the county road
systems. He answered the comparison
of the tax rates and assessments Of
this county with other counties of
Maryland by pointing out that there
are many factors that should be con-
sidered and that there is probably no
other county in the State which can
fairly be compared or contrasted with
Montgomery, principally because of
its peculiar set-up.
Mr.. Waters, in his opening address,
lauded the Non-Partisan League and
its president, Carson Pope, of Lay
louisville, for the energy and vigor put
into the fight for lower taxes. He at
tackled the useless expenditure" of
funds for police protection and said
that first economies should be affected
through the slashing of salaries of
"those higher up"
Mr.. McSherry, present at the spec
ial invitation of the Non-Partisan
League, outlined the economies being
placed into effect in Frederick county
and defended the stand taken at the
County Commissioners parties at
He advocated the turning
over of part of the gasoline tax
fund to the various boards of county
for use on the county
roads. He characterized the proposed
plan for road control vested in the
State Roads Commission as "a usurp-
alton of powers granted the counties
by the State constitution. He also said
that within a period of years the
State could not efficiently take care of
the county road system. Mr.. McSherry
laid great stress upon the fact that
by taking over the county roads, the
State would be open to all damages