The Washington times., 1936-02-08

INCOME TAXES
TO AID NEEDY
ADVOCATED

ROCKVILLE, Md, Feb. 8.-TWo
relief problems Of vital importance
to Montgomery, as well as other
counties Of Maryland, will face the
State legislature as it convenes at
Annapolis in special session next
month, welfare officials declared
here today.
Legislators from the % counties
will have placed upon their shoul-
ders the responsibility OF solving
satisfactorily the problems Of rails
ing the revenue necessary for
carrying on direct relief through
out the State, and making the de-
cision whether these relief funds
shall be administered through .
central State agency, or by reSpec-
tive county relief boards Of agen-
cieS, they say.
Asked Fund Is Halved
At present, due to shut down
Of direct relief by the Federal Gov.
ernment, Montgomery county, as
well as others, is faced with the
problem of raising between 5000
and $4,000 in local funds to carry
the direct relief load through
March, and possibly portion Of
February.
The local welfare Board for
warded to the State Board OF
Aids and Charities some time ago
an estimate of $4,000 which it
declared would be needed to con-
tinue relief until the first Of
April. Since that time the board
has been notified that, due to q
lack Of State Funds, this estimate
has been reduced to $500 for
the two-month period.
Owing to a lack Of private en-
ployment during these two
months, relief rolls are more
crowded than at any other period
Of the year, welfare officials de-
clare, and for this reason this
sum win be insufficient to relieve
the dire needs Of not only those
persons numbered among the un.
employableS Of the county, but
many others who have been un-
able to get employment on Works
Progress Administration projects
because Of the limited number Of
these projects in operation at
present.
Compromise Likely
Since a concerted campaign is
being waged throughout the State
by the Anti Sales Tax Association
against any reenactment Of legiS-
lation authorizing a continuance
Of the present State gross receipts
tax, levied last February by the
legislature for raising relief funds,
welfare officials and local dele
gates to the State assembly agree
that q compromise measure ap-
pears certain.
! The most logical compromise
means Of raising this needed relief
revenue through taxation chan
nels, they declare, is the proposal
offered by the State Grange ASso-
citation, q State income tax.
Maryland is one Of the few
States that do not have such a
tax and legislators say that as
this would tax large and small per-
&. sons on a proportionate basis it
seems the fairest way of raising an
adequate relief fund.
Efficiency in Danger
Under the present setup, all
county welfare workers are under
Civil Service rating and State su.
perviSion, and a continuance Of
this method is advocated by local
Legislators and welfare officials.
Should this be changed to allow
each county to set up its own re-
lief agency, the efficiency Of the
boards would be reduced, as the
positions in these welfare boards
and agencies would become "po-
litical plums" under the spoils
system.
Frank H. Karn, president Of the
Montgomery Commissioners, de-
clared today the board members
have not reached any decision as
to whether they will advance the
required relief funds for March,
but said the decision would be
reached within a few days.
A recommendation of som e
means Of State taxation for rails
ing q general relief fund will, in
all probability, be included in the
Commissioners legislative pro-
gram, he added. This program
probably viii be ready for admis-
sion to the legislature within a
week or two, Mr., Karn said.