Evening star., 1939-08-24
Rise in Montgomery
Tax Base Of IS
To HPcf. Seen
General Reussessment
In County Will Be
First in II Years
b stan Correspondent Of The star.

h etan Correspondent OF The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Nd, Aug. 24.-The
general reassessment in Montgom-
cry County, first in IL years, will
increase the total assessable tax
base for real property less than Is
per cent and perhaps not more than
Is per cent, William p. Richards,
chief Of the assessment stan, said
today.
Speaking before the Rockville
Rotary Club, Mr.. Richards, formerly
assessor for the District. pointed out
that the returns now available are
too incomplete to warrant any
scientific estimate, but that hopes Of
adding $4,000, 900 or $50 1000, 900 to
the assessable base were far out Of
line.
The taxable base for real property
in 1898 was approximately 500 OOO,-
600 and for 1899 about 500, 900 900.
Mr.. Richards statement thus placed
the highest probable increase at
$25 900 900 and the more likely fig-
ure at between $4,000, 900 and
sc, ,00O, 900.
Little Change in Rate.
Mr.. Richards explained that the
assessment increases known to date
were following closely increases In
population and that the largest in
creases are being recorded in COM
mercial areas, one of which he de-
clined to name totaling 500 per cent.
In some other cases, residential
property is being reassessed at prac-
tlcally the same amount and In
others slightly lower due to changes
IN the nature of residential areas.
I'm the upper portion of the
county, comprising the election dis
tricts OF Laytonsville, Clarksburg,
Poolesville, Barnesville and Damas-
Gus, where the population during the
last 80 years actually has declined
from about 10000 to slightly more
than 9,O00," Mr.. Richards explained,
the increase In total assessment will
be scarcely noticeable. New buildings
may add as much as 2 ger cent.
The population Of the central
section of the county, including
Rockville. Colesville, Olney, Darnes-
town, Gaithersburg and Potomac,
has increased from $4,000 in 1910 to
18.400 in 1888. In that area, the total
reassessment has increased about 10
per cent to date"
d. C. Trend Reviewed.
The remaining two districts, Be-
thesda, including Chevy Chase. and
Wheaton, which includes Silver
Spring and Takoma Park, will ac-
count for the largest increase, ac-
cording to Mr. Richards. The popu-
lation Of these two areas adjoining
the District line rose from $500 in
1900 to 12,600 in 1920, but jumped to
5,4OO by 1880 and In the last eight
years has increased to approximately
$1,000, he said.
Property values in Washington
have shown similar trend in ac-
cordance with population, he
pointed out. Many decades ago
when Washington had about 200 900
population, property on F. street in
the commercial area sold for about
$40 square foot. When the popu-
lation had increased to 1000 1t
was selling at about $50 and with
the present population at about
100000 the same property has in
creased to about $40 a square foot,
he said.
The commercial areas along Wis
consin and Georgia avenues will
show the greatest increase in assess
ment, but residential property own
ers are not likely to find very large
amounts added to their future tax
bills, Mr.. Richards predicted. In
many areas the homes already have
been placed on the tax rolls and the
only change will be in the hand
value, he explained.