Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-08-22

cry Countians. The present County
Commissioners decreased the number
of employees, but in doing so thy also
decreased the work that will be per-
formed for the State and AUDITING |
property owners and an examination
of the figures will disclose that the
cost to the County and its taxpayers
is just about the same as it previously |
was although several Montgomery
Countians have lost their employment.
Lets go just little further and see
just what has been done by the Fusion
Party and how many of their cam
paign promises have they completely
repudiated. Of course, after promising
economy and lower taxes, the present
outrageous increase speaks for itself.
They severely criticized the refunding
of bond issues and as above stated
they have refunded and intend to re-
fund each and every one that natures
during this fiscal year. They severely
CIIIlClLC0 IuC 0lAIOQAlL VI Vic DOAl0CO
indebtedness of the County. Within
three months after taking office, /
have their letter requesting authorize
! ton for an additional bond issue of
nearly a million dollars, and it is a
matter of common knowledge that
they have recently borrowed nearly
eight hundred thousand dollars, which
will be an increase of nearly-one-tenth
of the whole outstanding bonded in
debtedness of the County. If the Coun-
ty were overloaded before the last
election and they were sincere in MAX
ing that assertion what possible ex-
cuse can they now offer the taxpayers
of this County in increasing that in
debtedness by approximately 1-10th in
the first year they hold Office? In
their platform they promised to take
the police out of politics. l have in
my possession a photostatic copy
whereby the members of the police de-
partment appointed by them were
! assessed to pay off delinquency in
their campaign fund.
During the last session of the legis-
lature they had, for political reasons
alone, discharged experienced mem
bers of the police force until there
were only six men with experience to
police the entire County. l offered a
bill requiring them to keep fifteen of
the former policemen, allowing them
to appoint like number and placing
all under the merit system. After
their campaign promise to keep the
police department out of politics
large delegation of Fusionists went to
Annapolis and requested the Governor
to veto this bill, which he declined to
do.
During the same session of the
legislature, when the Treasurer was
in the very midst of preparing his tax
sale, they dismissed every employee
of his Office with the exception of two.
introduced bill authorizing him to
appoint a reasonable number of his
own employees with experience so
that he could properly carry on. Again
q delegation requested the Governor
to veto this bill, which he declined to
! do.
In their platform they promised to
eliminate all unnecessary jobs,
boards, etc." Up to the present time
they have eliminated no job nor any
board that have heard of.
This is still the same County with
the same school system and other
governmental agencies operated last
year with 80 cent tax rate. Every
one knows that it is absolutely neces-
sary for them to try in any way pos
sible to justify or excuse an increase
of two-thirds in any tax rate, but in
order to do so they cannot merely say
that it was someone else's fault, but
they must offer good, sound, substan-
ial reasons to the sensible and intelli-
gent taxpayers of Montgomery Coun-
ty. It is extremely difficult for eco
nomical and efficiency experts to sell
themselves to an intelligent electorate
at a $1.50 tax rate when they have
criticized a 80 cent one as extravagent
and wasteful.
STEDMAN PRESCOTT,
P. S.-They might attempt to ex-
plain to the taxpayers of Montgomery
County why it is with Maryland re-
ceiving fifty two million dollar high
way program from the Federal Gov
eminent, none Of it is to be expended
in Montgomery County.
By STEDMAN PRESCOTT,