Evening star., 1936-05-16
CROMWELL URGES
LOWER TAX RATE
Anne Arundel Should Attract
City Residents, Assessor
Holds,
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, May 16.-Anne
Arundel County's future seems as
sured If the tax rate can be reduced
to point where it will be financially
beneficial for business men of the
large nearby cities to maintain homes
here, former State SenatJr George
T. Cromwell told the Civitan Club
Thursday night.
Cromwell, who Is supervisor Of tax
assessors for the State and chief tax
assessor of Anne Arundel County as
well as a former county commissioner
and former register of wills of Anne
Arundel, remarked during his speech
that he has been on the inside" Of
the county government for a long
time, and that he had looked inside"
the governments of other countries.
rI want to assure the people of this
county that Anne Arundel County
isn't any worse of now than any
other county in the State" he said.
Speaking of the county's future
Cromwell declared that heads Of large
business concerns in Baltimore would
locate in the county If the tax rate
was lower. Corporation taxes are
paid not at the point where the bus
iness is located but at the point OF
the business mans residence" he
said. IF the county tax rate was
lower than Baltimore city's, then men
of means would locate homes in the
county and declare them their res
-, 1,aI T;r,ta lyrro1-
Gngs in Baltimore"
According to the county official
the present Spring has been marked
by something like real estate boom,
especially in the farm land, south of
the Severn River. Cromwell said he
knew of nine instances where old
rundown farms have been purchased
by outsiders who are building new
houses there and beautifying the land
as place to live rather than attempt
to make living from farming. Some
OF these places will be occupied only
during the Summer months. Similar
purchases have been made in my Sec
tion of the county and also around
Davidsonville," Cromwell pointed out.
I'VE have wonderful county with
a fine prospect for growth. The
depression seems to be lifting. Build
ing construction is increasing, there
Is more activity among farmers, tax
collections are increasing and I have
. noticed that county officials as a
whole are trying whole heartedly to
put the county in better financial
condition than it has been for long
time. These men are sincerely and
honestly trying. We have a fine
gentleman and efficient official in
our present treasurer. All branches
of the government want to see the
tax rate reduced.
LAS I see it the county commits
sioners have often been subjected to
unfair and unkind criticism. The
men who have to assume the respon-
sibility for anything are on the spot
In public life. Unfavorable publicity
has cost the county lots of money
1t isn't necessary to kill dog to get
rid of the fleas and that seems to be
what we have tried to do here.
Last year the tax assessment
department of the county travelled
10000 miles which incidentally comes
out of my $2,5O0 a year joint salary
and commission, and that of my
assistant. We put $4,000 in real
estate on the books; 100000 in per-
sonal property and over 100000 in
securities. We have missed some. but
we are going to get around to them.
AS see it we are on our way to
Feduce ol1r budget and tax rate due
to the increased assessments"