Evening star., 1944-10-31
Pro-Chorter

Pro-Chorter
Experience In $40 counties and
cities shows that the council-mAn-
ager plan gives more for the tax
dollar. It will be up to Montgomery
citizens to say whether they with
to increase services and keep taxes
at the present level or keep services
at the present level and reduce
taxes.
Don't be misled by comparative
tax rates. Keep In mind the ratio
Of assessments to values. Remem-
Der that in addition to the county
tax rate, there are extra water con-
nection and refuse charges, the san
itary. park, suburban, fire and other
special taxes, and your share Of the
State income tax that Is turned
back to the county. Add these all
together and you have q tax rate
that is high In terms OF service
rendered.
The Brokings survey showed that
1t would take. annually So cents of
each tax dollar to pay principal and
interest on our county debt. The
remaining a cents was not enough
to run the county; consequently we
have large refunding operations.
This piles up interest.
Taxes Up a Per Cent.
From 1885 to 1910, 1895 500 fell
due-60 per cent went unpaid. In
addition, $2,o46, 800 new bonds were
issued. Since 1910, war conditions
and priorities have prohibited most
construction projects. During the
same period assessable value in
creased A per cent, bringing In A
per cent more tax receipts.
Nevertheless the county paid OH
less than half the 2,600, 600 falling
due, poor showing compared with
debt reductions in other commun-
tiles in this unusually favorable
period. Our present debt, including
sanitary commission, park commits
sion, suburban district, liquor dis
pensary, road district and miscellan-
eous bonds on which the county is
liable, totals about $40 900 600. This
is about IL per cent of the present
total assessed values.
Charter stops these uneconomic
practices. It prohibits refunding
future bond issues. It also has .
referendum provision restricting
new bond issues.
Charter opponents say that since
1887 the law has prohibited bond
issues except by referendum and
that "the law has been lived up to-"
The authorities have ''lived up to"
the present referendum law by
making an amendment excepting
from 1t year by year each bond issue
authorized. Since 1887, over a.
600 900 In bonds have been author
lied and there has never been any
referendum. When the charter Is
adopted the referendum restrictions
can only be changed by vote Of the
people.
Efficiency Key to Savings.
The Anal step In reducing taxes
Is efficiency in daily operations.
The charter provides eficiency
through the county manager, per-
sonnel merit system, consolidation
Of functions into six departments.
abolishing Jobs, unpaid county coun-
Gil. genuine budget and centralized
systems, elimination Of
two and three salaries to the same
onhceholder, contract specifications.
elimination Of favoritism.
The charter will not mean 4 SHIFT
IN tax burdens either In areas oil
classes. For instance the scare as
sertion that the County Council
could enact m income tax is false
for It cannot legislate on matters
already provided for by general
public law"
The Maryland Constitution mel
rifically provides that the charter
sannot deprive incorporated towns
villages or municipalities of their
powers. The Attorney General oil
Maryland has ruled that the 10I
special taxing areas IN Mns,frnynerv