The Washington times., 1936-02-01
MONTGOMERY
BACKS TWO
PROPOSALS

ROCKVILLE, Feb. 1.-Repre-
sentatives from the Board Of
Montgomery County Commission.
ers viii meet with delegates from
other county commissioner boards
Of the State of Maryland at An
napolis next Thursday. when an
attempt will be made to draft
legislative program for submission
to the State legislature next
month.
Organized since the past session
Of the State legislature into what
is now known as the Eastern and
Western Shore County Commis-
sioners Association, the commits
sioners feel by a united effort
they can obtain enactment Of
practically any legislation they
desire.
Have Two Proposals
The Montgomery county dele
gates, backed by their fellow
members Of the Western Shore
Association, are expected to ask
Endorsement of two proposals.
One would ask for enactment
Of legislation which would provide
for . general reassessment Of all
real estate in the State Of Mary
land.
The other proposal will seek
legislation to take out Of the
hands Of the State Roads Commits
sion maintenance Of county roads
and place this work under the
jurisdiction Of the various coun-
ties.
An attempt by the local board
to secure q reasSeSSment Of
county property last year was de-
feated, and State Senator Sted-
man Prescott has declared he will
not favor any reaSseSsment unless
it Is q Statewide proposition.
Opposes the Move
Senator Prescott says that q
local reaSSeSSment would raise
the asSeSsable basis Of the county,
and this would place an additional
and unfair burden on the local
taxpayers, as other. counties with
O low aSSeSSable basis would not
be paying a proportionate share
Of the State taxes.
Delegates from the IL Western
counties, which together with
Montgomery compose the West
ern Shore Association, unani-
mously indorsed both legislative
proposals during a meeting in
Frederick, Md, two weeks ago,
Commissioner Paul NJ. Coughlan
said today.
Should members of the Eastern
association oppose the return OF
maintenance of county roads to
the county, it is believed an at
tempt will be made to obtain a
change in the method and basis
Of allocating the State gasoline |
road tax to the various counties |
of the State, for maintenance
work.
On Highway Miles
Under the present system the |
gas tax is aIlocated on the basis |
of number Of miles of lateral high
ways reported to the State by the
respective counties, Commissioner
Coughlan said. instead Of on the
number of motor vehicles regis
tered in the county.
And by this method Of alloca-
ton many times a county with |
large amount of county roads and |
a small population receive in re- |
turn far more gasoline tax revenue |
than they pay into the fund.
While Montgomery, like several
other counties with large popu-
lation and q large motor vehicle |
registration receive far less than |
they pay into the fund.
For many miles Of their high |
ways, graded and improved by the |
county with county funds, have |
been taken over by the State and |
designated at State highways and
the county receives no gas tax al |
lotment for this mileage.
Mr.. Coughlan said today, he |
was confident that if the alloca-
tion was made on a motor vehicle
registration basis instead Of lateral
highway mileage, Montgomery
county's share Of gas tax, at the
present rated at approximately
$4,000 annually, would be in
creased to nearly $1,000 While
many Of the Eastern Shore coun.
ties would see their allotments de-