Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-10-04
Brooke Lee Says
Anti Attacks On
Land Are Unfair
Silver Spring Business Man
And Former Party Leader
Denies Self-Interest

Maj. E. Brooke Lee, Silver Spring
realtor and former county admins
tration leader, recently issued the fol-
Lowing statement in answer to attacks
made by the Fusionists on the county
land purchases:
"The campaign pamphlet just is
sued by the county candidates of the
Anti administration faction, listing
the unimproved property that have
sold to the county during the past
four years, contains little or no new
local information. 29A
The opposition candidates list the
prices paid, which are matter of
public record, correctly.
At that point, however, the truth
full character of the political insinua-
lions of the pamphlet stops.
"These purchases were for we'll
recognized local public needs and nave
been in each instance discussed in the
Washington and county papers, and at
local citizens and civic meetings, and
even the most bitter political discus
sion and criticism has failed to estab-
lish or produce single responsibility
stated public opinion that any price
paid was unfairly high or that any
of the property purchased was not
needed for a proper public use.
Even the Anti pamphlet does not
charge that the prices paid were I'M
fairly high or that the property pur-
chased was not in each instance the
best available site for proper public
need.
The description and price of every
parcel of property that has. been pur-
chased from any citizen or corpora
ton, (Which of course includes me or
a company in which / am interested),
[ has been published in the county pap
ers in the detailed reports or adver-
tisements Of the various agencies Of
. the county government as required by
county law.
The price paid in each instance, in
which was interested, has been sub
stantiated as well within the apprais-
, ed value as established by the most
competent experts on the value of
local property, and by many adjacent
private sales not made to the county
and in a number Of which neither my
realty companies nor / figure.
The prices paid in each instance
were also much lower than have been
paid for similar porperty in any 9TH
er portion of suburban Montgomery
County, although the Silver Spring
section is one of the most valuable, if
mot the most. valuable section of the
suburban county.
One of the parcels purchased for a
community center immediately east of
the Silver Spring Armory is now no
longer needed for that purpose be
cause two years ago Mrs. Violet Blair
Janin, first cousin Of my father, be-
queathed to the county Jesup Blair
Park at Georgia avenue and the Dis
trict Line, consisting of Is acres, her
home and surrounding grove, which
will serve this section of Montgomery
County for all time as public park
and community center. Jesup Blair
Park is estimated as representing a
current value of between 100000
and 100000 and is the only substan-
tial gift of property that Montgom-
cry County has ever received from
any source.
The property originally purchased
for $4,000, or 80 cents q square foot
in the center of Silver Spring, as the
proposed community center site can
still be used for an elementary school
site or sold by the county at a pro-.
At.
The Anti Administration candidates
stress the fact in their pamphlet that
the tax assessments are lower than
the price paid for these properties.
There has been no reassessment Of
property in suburban Montgomery
County since 1928, although the Coun-
ty Administration supported a pro-
posal 10 have a general reassessment
in 1881 and 1888, which proposed re-
Z assessment was abandoned due to un-
fair political objections1(led by these
same Anti candidates) that assess
ments should not be changed upword
during the depression.
The values of 1928 for unimproved
property in the Silver Spring area are
obvious, because of the development
of the past six years, much lower thar
the present values Of the same proper
ty in this section. Also the assessed
value of unimproved nrOperty
throughout suburban Montgomery
County in 1928 was generally pub
licly understood to represent 2O@6 OF
the fair and favorable sales vhlue Of
property in 1928.
The 1928 assessment Of the prop