Evening star., 1940-03-19
Sharp Fight Is Due
On Plan 10 Boost
Montgomery Tax
Record Attendance Is
Expected at Civic Session
Tonight on Proposal

A record attendance was expected
at special meeting of the Mont
gomery County (Md) Civic FEEDER
alton In the Bethesda Elementary
School tonight to discuss the pro-
posed 15-cent tax increase recon-
mended by, the Public Finance and
Budget Committee.
The increase, which the commit
tee contended was necessary to place
the county on sound" financial
basis and retire obligations falling
due during the coming year without
refundlng. was discussed at the reg
ular meeting last week, but action
was postponed to permit delegates
to receive instruction from their
local organizations.
During the interim several or.
carnations have gone on record as
opposed to any increase in the basic
county rate Of $3.50 per 500 valua-
ton, including the Montgomery
County Farm Bureau and several
citizens associations in the subur-
ban area. The proposal appears
headed for strenuous objection at
the meeting tonight.
Several Groups Act.
Action on the suggestion was
taken last night by the Rockville
Chamber of Commerce, the citi-
zens OF Somerset, two groups in Ia
koma Park, the Executive Committee
OF the Greater Kensington Civic
League and three organizations in
Silver Spring.
The Rockville Chamber of Com
merce instructed its delegates to
oppose the increase in the tax rate,
In Somerset the citizens went on
record as opposed to the tax boost
Ihe meeting was called by Mayor
w. B. Horne, one of the towns rep
resentatives to the Civic Federation.
Takoma's Council heard a talk on
the tax proposal by DR.. C. C. Gallo
way before deciding to send an un-
instructed delegation to toniehts
federation meeting.
Takoma, Woodmoor.
The Takoma Park (MdD Com
munity League, at a special meeting
last night in the Municipal Center,
instructed its delegates to vote in
favor OF the retention of the pres
ent $1.50 tax rate.
The league Endorsed a proposal
OF the federation's Public Finance
and Budget Committee urging elm
nation of unnecessary personnel.
consolidation of certain county Of
f1ces and more efficient purchasing
by the county.
opposition to the increase in the
county tax rate also was voiced at
separate meetings last night of the
Woodmoor Citizens Association. the
Woodslde Park Civic Association
and the East Sligo Valley Citizens
Association.
ADOPTING a resolution in which it
declared that the present $l.5O rate
Will more than take care of county
operating expenses, the Woodmoor
group urged decrease of 10 cents
per 500 valuation rather than an
increase. Frank J. Felker was ap-
pointed to represent the associa-
ton at the federations meeting
tonight.
Washington I. Cleveland, president
OF the Greater Kensington Civic
League. said the Executive Commit
tee voted in special session last night
10 urge cut in the county tax rate,
The committee also indorsed the
report OF the Committee on Roads.
Streets and Bridges of the Civic Fed
Grafton which would limit the 1901
highway expenditures for the coun-
tvs secondary roads to $215,OOO.
At the Rockville meeting George
H. Lamar took exception to a por-
ton of the federation's report which
recommends that steps should be
taken to compensate, at least in
part, for the inability to reduce the
countrywide tax rate by cutting the
rates in the special taxing areas.
Such areas, it has been pointed out,
would receive greater income from
their present rates because of the
new county reassessment.