Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1937-12-16
Sen. Prescott Says
Lower Assessments
Has Hurt Finances
School Bond Issue Could Have
Been Made With No
Tax Raise

The $724,O0O in school bonds
authorized by the last Legislature
could be issued by the Board of Coun-
ty Commissioners without increasing
the tax rate had not the present board
decreased assessments $1,s73, 900 dur
ing the past year.
This claim was made by State Sem
lator Stedman Prescott in 8 letter to
Mrs. Marian A. Lee, president Of the
Federated Parent Teacher Associa-
tons Of Montgomery County urging
that she cooperate with the Kensing-
ton Chamber of Commerce and other
groups to push issuance of the bonds.
The Fusion-controlled board recently
voted against issuing any of the bonds
to provide new buildings, improve
ments and equipment a recommended
by the County Board of Education.
The letter Of Senator Prescott read,
in part, as follows:
"You asked me in order to pay the
interest on the school bonds, if they
were issued, what would be the raise
in taxes? In my Judgement there
should have been none. At the present
rate for the sale of bonds the interest
would amount to approximately $685..
10000 per year. If all Of the increased
revenue derived from the increased
assessment, due to new buildings, ETC..
had not been expended, provision
might have been made from this
source. However, there is one fact that
apparently is little known to the peo-
pie of Montgomery County and / do
not believe that it has been used in
your arguments to the County Com
missioners relative to the topic under,
1.-THE records in the County Com
missioner's Office disclose that during
the year 1884 total of $415,21O.OO
was made by the County Commission
ers in the reduction Of STA, 10000, in
reducing various persons assessments.
During the year 1885, this figure
reaches the tremendous sum Of ST.
673, 083.00. You will kindly note the
progressive reductions made since the
first year that the new Board came
into Office. The total reductions during
these three years amounts to $685.
253.00, and had not these reductions
been made, the taxes alone from the
source would amount to more than
S45. 100000, the same being sufficient TO
pay the interest charges upon the
school bonds, If issued, and a SUBJ
stantial reduction yearly upon the
principal. This is one of the reasons
for saying that there should have been
no necessity for any increase in the
tax rate even though the schools
should have been provided. The above
figures may be obtained by any in
terested party or parties from the
records Of the County Commissioners
II do not know Of any other way :
Of financing so large an undertaking
han the issuance of bonds, and this
seems to be the fair way. say this
because it would be impractical to
raise the whole amount by current
levy and as the school buildings that
are now being constructed have quite
a long period Of usefulness, it is no
more than fair and just that the on
coming generations, who will also give
benefits therefrom, should bear
reasonable proportion of their con-
struction cost.
~ would like to also call to your
attention the fact that the present
Board of County Commissioners have
raised the tax rate from ninety cents
10 one dollar and fifty cents on every
one hundred dollars. AS every one
cent Of tax rate brings in approx
mately ten thousand dollars, the in
crease Of sixty cents means that the
present board receives about $780,
10000 more per annum than the pre-
vious Board, the same being, Of
course, nearly two thousand dollars
more per day. Even with this increas-
ed revenue, amounting to more than
81 300, 100000 by direct taxation, over
a period of three years they have re-
tired only $462,5OO.0O worth of the
County indebtedness over this three