Evening star., 1949-03-17
PriinceGeorges
Lacks Fund for
P|anningGroup
Commissioners Error
In Overlooking l94S
Tax Levy Blamed
By John V. Horner


Prince Georges County lack.
money owed the Maryland Ma.
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission because it overlooked
q 1948 tax levy.
The exact amount due is un.
known but it was learned today
that the commission has conferred
with county authorities in ar
effort to effect settlement.
The situation results from fail.
ure of the Prince Georges commits.
sioners to impose Park and Plan.
ming taxes in accordance with
Maryland law. Because of the
mistakes, some citizens were un.
dertaxed and some were over.
taxed.
In populous areas close tt
Washington the county collected
cents on each 500 valuation fol
Park and Planning purposes. II
should have collected. 8 cents.
Size of Error Unknown.
In another section the county
applied the scent rate when only
3 cents should have been collected
The size of the error has not
been figured because information
Is lacking on the tax base Of the
two areas. Most unofficial esti-
mates range from $4,000 to $780,
900 but one county official said
the amount may be as high as
$45,000.
The Park and Planning Com
mission serves large areas in both
Montgomery. and Prince Georges
Counties. State law requires the
counties to raise funds for the
commission by levying taxes in
the areas served. The taxes vary
according to services performed.
The first levy. for administra-
ton functions. is at the rate OF
3 cents on S100 valuation. II
applies throughout the Washing
ton Maryland regional district
which is the entire section served
by the planning commission.
Within. the regional district
is a smaller area known as the
metropolitan district. It is close
to Washington. In the metropoli-
tan section of Montgomery Coun.
ty the planning commission con.
ducts park and recreation pro-
grams. In the Prince Georges
metropolitan section activities are
limited to a park program.
Levy Set in 1947.
At a special session in 1947 the
Maryland General Assembly estab-
lished a scent metropolitan dis
trict tax in Prince Georges. This
was Prince Georges first expert
ence with such levy. The tax
was to become effectiveain 1948.
When preparing the budget last
year, the Prince Georges commits
sioners approved v scent Park
and Planning tax for the entire
regional district.
The planning commission con-
tends the commissioners should
have continued the old Scent levy
for the region and imposed an
extra scent in the smaller metro
pclitan section.
Planning officials said they dis
covered the mistake when county
tax bills were distributed last fall
Chairman Irwin I. Main of Seat
Pleasant said he Immediately con.
ferred with the Prince George!
board but no agreement has beer
reached to date.
We have tried to iron out wha
seems to have been a mistak.
down at the courthouse" Mr.
Main said. We've reached nj
agreement with regard to ths
amount but I think we can cleal
up this question by the end o.
March"
Meeting to Discuss Issue.
Harry w. McNamee of Ber.
wyn, president of the Prince
Georges Board of County Com.
missioners, made a similar state.
ment, and added:
THE county commissioners are
going to meet with our legisla-
tive delegation in a few days tt
iron out those little things. We're
trying to find out what we should
do. No definite action has beer
taken"
Mr.. McNamee was authority fol
the estimate that $45,000 may be
involved.
Lindon Briscoe, clerk to the
county commissioners, declared
the Park and Planning authori-
ties did not submit a request last
year for the tax change.
Jesse F. Nicholson, secretary
said the commission did not make
a written request, as customary
but that Mr.. Main appeared ir
person before the commissioner.
to explain the new law and askee
for both the Scent and extra S.
rant 1a1,ioS