Evening star., 1946-05-28

And 25-Cent Tax Raise
Asked in Montgomery.
A $11 ,46S, ,4S1 40 budget, largest in
Montgomery County's history and
calling for 25-cent increase in the
tax rate, was presented today to
the Board of Commissioners by
Supervisor Willard F. Day.
The proposed tax boost would be
slightly offset by proposed de-
crease in the rate of the suburban
district debt levy from cents to
cent per 500 valuation. The cur
rent basic county tax rate is $l.50.
The commissioners set public
hearing on the budget for 8 pm.
June II in the Rockville courthouse.
Operation Costs Rise 200.
Operating expenses, the principal
item in the budget, amount to $4,-
484 ,304.36 for the fiscal year begin
ming July l, which Is about 20 per
cent greater than the current year,
Mr.. Day said adding that about II
per cent of the figure is met by
State and other sources.
In submitting the budget, Mr..
Day explained that it is based on a
county rate of SITS per 500
assessed valuation of real and tan
gible personal property, and should
result In $468, 900 additional revenue
Also proposed in the budget is
So ,290.394 for improvements to
schools, roads, parkways, and for
parking facilities. This estimated
capital outlay plus various items
needed for the county to meet its
other indebtedness" brings the total
requirements of the budget to s1l,-
468 ,481 40.
Mr.. Day described his budget as
IAN innovation in county budgets"
and said 1t represents the type of
budget recommended by the Brook
ings Institution land other agencies
who have made a study of county
budgets"
Costs Listed in Detail.
Totaling 1874 pages in length, it is
the most comprehensive ever made
up for the county, and lists in de-
tail the expenses of the various de-
partments from clerks to Office sup
plies.
Although the county supervisor
would not admit the intent of such
detail is to prevent "chiselling." he
declared that 1t will make for little
possibility of misunderstanding"
The largest single item for opera
itonal expenses is that of $2,2O4 ,428
for schools.
Copies of the budget, he said, will
be available for inspection at the
Bethesda and Silver Spring county
buildings as we'll as the Rockville
Court House, and additional copies
will be forwarded to the Montgomery
County Civic Federation and the
League of Women Voters
He added that he is not planning
to send copy to the county Charter
Committee, an organization which
opposes. among other things, the
office of county supervisor.
Recommendations Made.
In submitting the budget, Mr. Day
made these recommendations:
That the county consider a.
uniform five-day work week, and
change the work week of depart
ments on a 35 * hour week schedule
to 40 hours. ,e I
That the county home for the
aged be abolished, and the residents
be distributed among private homes.
That all heads of departments be
held accountable for their failure
to operate within their budget allot-
ments."
That the county supervisor be
authorized to put into effect a
quarterly allotment system under
which the departments and Offices
will be given portion of the annual
appropriation on which they must
operate during the quarter.
That the county controller and
accountant should submit at the
end of each month detailed state
ment to the head of each depart
ment and Office showing expendi-
lures to date.
Operating Expenses.
Operating expenses recommended
by Mr.. Day include:
Administrative (commissi ers,
clerks, boards. etc., s164,739.
Finance assessors and assessing,
office of the treasurer, etc., $780,
50016.
Judicial, s100,339 so.
Elections (boards and machines
and mail facilities, ST., 2,740.79.
Public safety (police, fire, State
Guard, etc., s422 ,328.09.
Welfare, 1897 7,412.3S.
Public health, $154,915.
Highways, $256,425.
Buildings and grounds, s39,953.
Agriculture and home economics,
S28,719.
Debt service, $685., ,803.60.
Special Offices, $85,o00.
Report on Improvements.
Concerning public improvements,
the report stated:
What construction costs will be
a year from now or five years from
now is largely a matter of specula-
ton. Before even a tentative pro-
gram listing projects to be included
in a fve-year capital program can
be prepared, considerably more
work and thought should be given
as to what are the most essential
items that must be provided.
"A hastily conceived program
purporting to be a five-year capital
program for the county might be so
far from representing the most
essential projects which should be