Evening star., 1938-08-27
UNITED Democrat
PLATFORM OFFERS
TAX CUT PLEDGE
Montgomery Ticket Also
Promises Maintenance of
Schools and Roads.
REPUBLICAN-FUSION
LEVIES ARE CRITICIZED
Robert Peter Gives Democrats
Credit for Nearly All Public
Improvements.
Ey. STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

BY STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Md. Aug. 27-Re-
duction OF the county tax rate by
means Of a reassessment, adequate
schools. police and transportation
facilities and a system of police Jus
tices to replace the present justices
OF the peace were pledged in the
platform of the united Democrats an
nounced today by Robert Peter, county
Democratic chairman.
The platform announcement criti-
cized sharply the Republican, Fusion
administration for raising the tax rate
from 80 cents to $3.50 when it came
into office in 1884, and for redeeming
only $296,5O0 in bonds while re-
issuing or extending for long terms
$l,l03,5O0 in bonds despite promises
In the campaign four years ago to
pay of bonds as they came due
Mr.. Peters statement asserted that
practically all the public improve
ments enjoyed by our people were
built by the Democratic county and
State administrations" which operated
with vastly lower tax rates than have
prevailed under the present Repub-
lican administration" The statement
mentioned but made no criticism of
the independent Democratic faction
opposing the united organization in
the primary September II.
Road Maintenance Pledged.
The platforms pledged a reduction
in the county tax rate on the homes,
the farms and the stores of Mont
gomery County" by means OF an i'm
mediate reasseSsment of all property"
in the county to take effect "in the
same tax year throughout the county,"
and that the detailed valuation and
assessment of every parcel of property
In the county, to take effect lin the
the information of all the taxpayers
Of the county"
Adequate maintenance Of the county
schools, roads and park systems, in
cluding completion Of the community
center in the former animal industry
farm in Somerset area. was promised,
as was construction of such addition
al school facilities as the school chill
dren of the county may need"
The united Democrats pledged the
harmonious development of the main
arterial entrances to Washington and
support for continued development Of
suburban Montgomery County along
the lines now prevailing and to make
every consistent effort to maintain
and improve public transportation
services
The platform promised a policy OF
securing preference for county resi-
dents on Federally subsidized prof.
ects, additional police protection, re-
placement of justices Of the peace by
police justice system, pension sys
tenn for county police and efforts to
secure a State police substation in
the county.
G. o. P. Administration Hit.
Describing the Republican county
administration as "inept and futile"
the platform statement declared:
I'VE particularly oppose the 66 per
cent increase in the basic county tax
rate of so cents more direct taxation
on each S100 assessed value of real
property owned in Montgomery Coun-
ty," through which $3,200,000 more
was collected by direct taxation than
the Democratic county administration
collected in preceding years.
Pointing out that the Republican
dominated Board of County Commits
sioners had Republican state admin
istratior and Governor, the announce
ment declared that roads for the
first time in 20 years lacked adequate
maintenance and improvement
The most substantial reduction In
the county debt during the past four
years, Mr.. Peter declared, was that
brought about by a law sponsored at
Annapolis by Senator Stedman Pres
colt, which Cancelled the ovedraft
which the Republican controlled State
Roads Commission claimed Montgom-
cry County owed In an amount of
approximately $4,000.
The Republican Board Of County
Commissioners was not able to adjust
this debt, but it was Cancelled by the
State Legislature largely through the
efforts Of Senator Prescott and the
county's Democratic Representatives in
the House Of DelepateS"