Evening star., 1947-05-28
Tax Assessment
Proposal Fought
In Bethesda
Montgomery Board
Studies Protests
OF 80 Merchants

Vigorous protests by approx.
mately 80 merchants against pro-
posed tax assessments on CONNER
|cial property In Bethesda were being
studied today by the Montgomery
County commissioners.
Leaders of the group appearing
before the commissioners yester-
day in Rockville, urged that the
board either make Substantial re-
ductions In the proposed assess
ments or that action be deferred
pending study Of assessments on
comparable property in Washing
ton.
The new figures would increase
assessments In the Bethesda busi-
ness district from 5000, 900 to
$4,000, 900, according to Supervisor
OF Assessments Wilton T. Allen.
Commissioners Warned.
Mr.. Allen warned the connnis-
sioners that If the assessments are
lowered. he will appeal to the State
Tax Commission.
Opponents of the proposed as.
sessmerts argued that they are aout
of line" with those in the District
and Silver Spring and would place
Bethesda merchants "at q disad-
vantage"
Former County Commissioner
William H. Prescott, who said he
represented the majority OF com.
mercial property owners in Be.
thesda, said the contemplated In
crease in assessments together with
the 2 per cent Maryland sales tax.
scheduled to go into effect July /.
would deal paralyzing blow to
our businesses
He added there would be no In.
centive for out-of-town merchants
to establish stores in Bethesda.
Under the proposed assessments
and the recommended 38-cent In.
crease In the county tax rates. Mr..
Prescott said, the owner of the aver
age 80 by 100 foot commercial lot
IN Bethesda would pay s515 a year
IN taxes. He compared this figure
with 1898 In taxes which he said
the owner of similar size lot in
the upper Connecticut avenue sec
ton in Washington would pay.
Proposal Criticized.
MIR. Prescott also criticized tha
proposed increase in assessments on
commercial property In Silver
Spring. A corner lot on Georgia
avenue at the District line ia
assessed at S. square foot, he told
tne Commissioners, while a similar
lot just across the line In the Dis.
trlct Is assessed at $2.75 a SQUARE
foot
F. G. Kayhoe, division realty man.
ager of the Safsway Stores, said
the taxes for one Of the firms stores
.at Wisconsin avenue and Bradley
lane In Bethesda would be $1.547.
He compared this with $1,0SolIlin
taxes for Safeway Store in'IIIthe
District at Wisconsin avenue and
Ellicott street NV. and 1856 for a
store in Alexandria.
Others who protested the proposed
assessments included S. Walter
Bogley, president of the Bank OF
Bethesda; Clarence v. Keiser. Be-
thesda real estate man, and Mrs
Dorothy N. Bates, representing tha
Rockville Pike Businessmen's Asso-
citation.
Mr.. Keiser said the new assess
ments would give the county from,
Is per cent to 125 per cent of tha
gross revenue of the average busi-
ness establishment In Bethesda.
Allen Defends Proposal.
In response to a question from r.
Barnard Welsh, attorney for the
board, whether a reduction In the
proposed tax rate increase would
help. Mr.. Bogley said, Eyes, as far
as the relative position of Bethesda
and the District is concerned. but
Bethesda assessments would still be
out of line with those in Silver
Spring"
In supporting the proposed assess
ment increase, Mr.. Allen empha-
sized, "It is question of taxes, not
OF assessments. We must assess
property at leo per cent of It's value
under the law.
ITO compare assessments IN
Bethesda with those in the District
and Arlington Is ridiculous-the law
is entirely different In the three
areas. We spent 10 months studying
our plan of assessment and we think
the assessments are fair, concise and
Just. If these people think the
assessments are wrong, they have q
remedy at law by appealing to the
State Tax Commission.
However, If the assessments are
changed by this board, I will appeal
myself to the commission since am
duty bound to do So"
At the conclusion of the hearing
Board Chairman Brooke Johns said
he believed land values are too hiah
and suggested that property owners
come back every IL months and ask
LIS to reconsider the assessments"
II believe residential and agricul.
tural property is assessed too low at
present, Mr.. Johns said, but who
knows when the present inflated
market will break? If we have the
money today, let's pay for the I'M
provements we need. If we don't pay
1t to Montgomery County, we'll lust
have to give it to the Government"
Dun orino TrkooI n1~~