Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1948-08-26
Rockville Offers Much
Asks. Little" Says Mayor.

The following is the complete script of Mayor Kelly's
part OF an interview station WGAY Saturday,
IN reply to leading questions asked him by the editor
OF this paper who conducted the interview
First of ALL let say that what am now about
TO broadcast to all listeners in county should be the
theme OF our local Chamber of Commerce. am taking
the prerogatve of doing this since in my twenty
two years Rockville citizen have heard the many
things that Rockville has to Offer really presented the
general public.
1T seems to me that no organization or individual
has ever told all who would listen just how Rockville
offers so much and asks little in return hence am
grateful for this opportunity Only very recently the
Baltimore Sun had quite article about the two largest
Maryland Cities next in size to Baltimore and force
fully brought out the fact that Metropolitan Washing
ton IN Prince Georges County and Metropolitan WASH
lngton in Montgomery County cities in size and
need, but really not cities at ALL created such with
single purpose administration. mention this because
the Sun stated that vast problems existing that
only city government could properly handle. The
present county government obviously is unable to ad-
minister to the wants of city any than Baltimore
County could properly supply the administrative wants
of Baltimore City.
E Rockville, thank goodness was wisely Incorporated
many years and having retained the status has now
grown TO city size 1--WE 5000 persons) and hence
are able to give citizens single purpose government
with resulting undivided authority, non wasteful and
overlapping county functions and hence low taxation
Specifically Rockvilles present tax rate is 80 cents
his is In addition to the county minimum basic rate
On the face of it, this would to be double taxation
but closer examination proves quite to the contrary For
the basic county rate our citizens receive from the
OF each county tax doar police protection his takes
ii cents) and hence leaves about 20 cents of their
county tax dollar for county roads, health welfare and
other county functions in which we all participate
For the 80 cents paid to the city of Rockville the
citizens here receive all urban services that citizens of
Takoma Park, Silver Spring. Bethesda receive and for
which they pay W. S. S. c. front foot tax National Park
and Planning tax, Metropolitan tax and many other
additions to the County basic rate. In dollars and cents
the average modest home in Rockville which assessed
at present for $1,000 pays it's town only $24 to S25 per
year which is often less than just the W. S. S. c. front
loot tax of other For this small sum of money
all urban services provided-waer sewerage street
hghtg street mantenances and the many other serv-
ices that go to make completely healthy and happy
community In addition to this there is another reason
Rockville has low taxation.
Rockville has no fire tax and yet has fire depart
ment that offers complete fire protection and ambulance
service to the city and adjacent This department
with its six pieces of modern equipment is second to
none Too much credit cannot be given to its able leader
OF many years Chief Val Wilson, The splendid spirit of
the department is the for its great success and
the resulting service to Rockville citizens at cost and
hence lower taxes.
1a $50 with this thumbna sketch you can see how by
having city with single authority and pur
pose, most economical system develops and the tax
payer receives real dollar value for his tax receipt
This is the heritage that is Rockve and we invite all
interested citizens to investigate it closely should they
desire to live in community that has so much to offer
for so little"