The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-02-03
FRALEY TELLS ROTARIANS
WHERE TAX MONEY GOES
States Attorney Discusses Taxes
And Inner Workings OF The
County Commissioners Office
COUNTY'S CONDITION GOOD

What Becomes of the Taxpayers
Dollar" was the subject discussed by
Neil c. Fraley, States Attorney, be-
fore members of the Oakland Rotary
Club at its regular meeting last Fri
day evening.
In addition to an explanation of
the expenses of the Commissioners of
the county, Mr.. Fraley also contrasted
the financial condition of the county
at present with that of several years
previous, and outlined a number of
things that had been accomplished by
the members of the present Board Of
Commissioners.
Basing the tax rate at 81 and the
assessable basis at seventeen and one
half million dollars, as it was in 1887,
Mr.. Fraley pointed out that ST cents
of that dollar was demanded by State
laws over which the Commissioners
had no immediate control. He listed
schools as taking AT cents; debt ser
vice, 10 cents; old age pensions, aid to
children, administrative cost of well
fare, 10 cents; salaries of public of
ficials, 10 cents; care of county people
in asylums, State institutions, blind
and direct relief, 10 cents. In addition
it was necessary, he said, to maintain
public buildings, pay for lights, gas,
janitor service, publishing and print
ing, health work, and take care of var
ious other items.
The social legislation, he explained,
was an additional burden that had
been placed on the county since 1885,
and had it not been for the tax on
beer, which amounts to $4,000, it
would have been necessary to raise the
tax rate.
He also explained that the money
for debt service went to pay off lateral
road bonds which had become due. The
county is bonded for the sum of $751;
900 for these road bonds, which is less
than one per cent of the assessable
basis. Allegany county, he asserted, is
bonded for more than ten per cent of
it's basis.
In stating the financial condition Of
the county to be excellent he showed
that three years ago there were I'M
paid current bills of approximately
$4,000, half of which was due State
institutions, practically no funds in
the treasury and 100000 in unpaid
orders in the hands of banks and in
dividuals. The county had received
many letters from w. S. Gordy, State
Comptroller, demanding payment of
the sum due the State.
Contrasting that picture with the
situation today, he said all current OBJ
legations had been paid to date, as of
January 1, outstanding orders had
been reduced to 100000, there were no
outstanding orders back of the 1886
levy, and there was $4,000 in cash in
the treasury. There were also out
standing taxes of $4,000 yet to be
collected.
Mr.. Fraley also told the Rotarians
that within the past three years more
had been done for schools than in any
previous period. He cited the construc-
ton of schools at Grantsville, VindeX,
completion of the Red House school,
addition to Loeb Lynn, repairs to Mt.
Lake. installation of sanitary necessi-
ties at Accident, purchase of ground
for the Oakland and Kitzmiller high
schools and for the Bloomington
school, and practically every rural
school in Garrett painted and repaired.
Rotarians were also told that TWEEN
ty-fve miles of road had been built,
much of it through WPA labor, with
the county sharing a part OF the cost.
At the regular meeting OF the club
this Friday evening, Delbert DAVIS,
cashier of the First National Bank,
will give a review of the current issue
of The Rotarian Magazine.