The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-03-02
COMMISSIONERS OBTAIN
MONEY TO MATCH FUNDS



on each $4,000 of the ,assessable
basis of the county, for assistance to
the destitute. The law was pointed out
BY Mr.. Patterson, in Baltimore, last
Friday, and B. F. Epstein, attorney
for the Commissioners said that Allie
gany county had used the law success
fully to borrow money to pay the
needy.
The County Commissioners met
With boards of directors and cashiers
of two Oakland banks last Saturday
and again on Monday in an effort to
obtain funds.
"The bankers demanded that in
serest be paid on back orders before
5hey would lend US any money under
the special statute" Mr.. Giessman
stated. whenever it is made legal
we are positively in favor of paying
interest on loans in any emergency"
he added.
Paul NJ. Friend, third member of the
Commission, stated at the meeting
that he was willing to go along and
pay interest to the banks in order that
this condition could be corrected, as it
is a usual procedure to expect interest
70 be paid on borrowed money, in any
business transaction.
Ruling Is Cited
Mr.. Epstein said the board had
stopped paying interest on county
orders because of a ruling of the
Court of Appeals of Maryland in a
ease of Hall VS.. Anne Arundel county,
"a, Nd, page 282, which was case
where the County Commissioners of
that county had issued such warrants
payable from the levy of the follow
ing year and stating that they were
payable with interest. A taxpayer
sought to enjoin the commissioners
from paying the same, and in which
the Court of Appeals ruled that "There
is no warrant in law for making in
terest from the date of issue payable
On such certificates. That inasmuch
as the proceedings disclose that these
certificates are made payable with in
gerest from the date of their issue,
the careful Judge of the Circuit Court
very properly noticed this fact and de-
elared that he could find no warrant or
sanction for the issue of interest-bear-
ing certificates by the Commissioners,
and that in his opinion the payment of
interest will be an unauthorized pay
ment."
A letter to the Commissioners from
the Boards Attorney says, we "advise
you that we believe you cannot legally
levy for or pay interest on warrants
excepting those, if any there be, which
might have been issued expressly UNI
der the direction of the legislature and
by it authorized to call for the pay
ment of interest" '' w
There were those who contended
that the ruling of the Court of APP
peals did not apply in this case as
all county orders now being held were
on former levies and not on a levy
for the following year, but they did
not care to be quoted.
Came to Head Early Last Month
The relief situation came to head
early in February when the Commits
sioners gave the Welfare Board a
county order for $3,700, as the coun-
By's share of the relief expenses,
which the board was unable to cash
because no funds had been collected
on the 1889 levy.
State grants for aid to dependent
children, old-age pensions, aid to the
blind cannot be disbursed until the
county's share of the money is made
available, and thus the problem came
to the attention of the general public
The Commissioners included in the
recent levy an amount calculated to
take care of it's share of the relief
burdn but 1889 tax bills are just now
being mailed. Payments are not due
until April 1. Taxpayers get a two
percent discount if they pay by June
l, and they don't have to pay any
penalties until October.
In former years county orders con-
stituted tax anticipation note anC
their issuance had been supposedly
regular procedure when the county
treasury was low during the first few
months of the year because tax pay
ments had not started rolling in. This
procedure has been going on for prob
ably fifty years.
How the question of interest pay
ments was first brought to. publi
attention is not known, but as sool
as it became a subject for discussion
the attorney for the Commissioner
ruled it has been illegal to pay inter
est, and since that time Mr.. Giessmal
said the Commissioners had refuse,
to do so. County banks and individual
in Oakland are now holding over
$4,000 in back orders, Mr.. Giess
man said.
A bill ready for introduction in tn
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