Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-01-05
The Tax Problem
-. ' of the. y
Maryland Farmer
Secretary Treasurer,
MARYLAND Farm Bureau Federation.
PART Nv
By MILES H. FAIRBANK,

to show that adjusting the tax burden
is matter of dollars and cents, not
opinion and sentiment. Too much of
our tax relief campaign has consisted
of loud talking about the rising cost
Of government, high salaries, COM
parison with the cold days." and so
on. Undoubtedly, these crusaders will
accomplish much good, since it will
focus attention on the need for eco
nomy; but, it is foolish to think that
as civilization progresses the costs
must not also increase. This is newt
able. All that we can do is to insist
on efficiency in the spending of public
money and to overhaul our tax struc-
ture from time to time to adjust the
burden equitably.
We showed last week that the farm
ers of Maryland be relieved of ap-
proximately 203o of their county bud
get by having county roads cared for
from the gasoline tax fund. This does
not add one cent of additional tax on
anyone, or shift the burden to any
other class than those who use the
roads. 1t simply means that the same
amount of money must be made to go
farther and do more work. That is
efficiency. Whether this is accomplish
ed by having the State Roads Com
mission take over all the roads, as has
been done in some other states, or
have the money turned over to the
counties as advocated by many of our
County Commissioners, should be de-
termined solely on the basis of effic-
iency. 1t is folly to talk of economy in
one breath and in the next decide a
question such as this from the stand
point Of political expediency.
The next item which the Farm
Bureau and the Grange, in their pro-
gram, feel should be adjusted to give
the property owner some relief is
schools.
Most of our counties now levy &c
on the $4,000 for schools. Under our
present school law no county is requir-
ed to levy more than this amount to
maintain the states minimum educa-
tional program. If the assessable
wealth of a county is insufficient to
maintain this program, the difference
is made up from what is known as
the state Equalization Fund. This
Fund will total approximately $780,
10000 this year and all but five of
our wealthiest counties share in it.
This Fund is in addition to other
state aid that comes in the form of
the census and attendance fund, text
book fund, state aid to high schools,
etc. These total approximately ST.
700, 100000 annually, including Balti-
more City's share.
From this it might be deducted
that already the state is contributing
more than its fair share of the school
expense of the counties, but it is mis-
leading to assume that, in asking for
.alower school rate in the counties, we
are attempting to shift the burden to
the state. What is really asked is
that real estate be relieved of a por-
ton of this load and have it placed
on some other form of indirect tax.
In 1882 the counties appropriated
$6,3S0,621.00 against $2,602,3 300 con-
tributed by the state for schools. Thus
the counties are carrying two and one
half times the school burden.
The Maryland Farm Bureau and the
Grange recommended to the Cover
nor's Tax Survey Commission last
spring that no county be required to
levy more than zoe and that the diff
ference be made up from some other
form of tax. In the report of the Com
mission they recommended this, but
on a 40c basis. This would mean a
saving of 27c on the tax rate of all
but five counties and some reduction
in all.
If this is enacted into law the diff
ference remaining is $3,SO3, 900, of
which Baltimore City would get, under
the present division, $1,143,OOO if the
same standard of education is main
tanned in the counties.
While economies are necessary be-
yond doubt, said in the beginning of
this article that taxes were matter
of dollars and cents and, while the
Farm Bureau has recommended that
utmost retrenchment take place, we
have recognized that immediate effec-
tive relief of as much as we are ask
ing on schools must be accomplished
with some intelligent plan for raising
the additional amount required.
Next week Mr.. Fairbank will dis
cuss the possibility Of revenue from
indirect sources.)
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