Evening star., 1949-10-25
95% Of Montgomery!
Tax Bills Too Small
To Pay for One Pupil

3ASAS eAAoAA 90 PSA SSAAS VI oAAS
tax bills sent to Montgomery
County property owners are too
small to pay for the education OF
one child for one year, County FL
nance Director Alexander K
Hancock declared last night.
Speaking before the Allied Civic
Group of Silver Spring, Mr.
Hancock said almost any taxpayer
who has one child in public school
is running ahead of the game"
His remarks shed new light on
the county's long-standing debate
on the relative tax contributions
of homeowners, and apartment
dwellers. The County Civic Fed
GRAFTON recently urged the County
Council to halt construction of
new apartments on the ground
they do not pay their way as far
as schools and other public serv-
ices are concerned.
Cost of Student $500.
Mr.. Hancock pointed out that
the annual educational cost per
student is approximately 5000,
with $3.50 of that amount coming
from the county levy. and $50
from State contributions. Since
the share of the county tax rate
devoted to school operating ex-
penses is $133, the minimum as
sessment needed for tax yield of
$3.50 is $11.280, he said.
Few residential properties in the
county are assessed that high, Mr..
Hancock stated. He pointed out
that a recent survey of all tax
bills showed that exactly 95 per
cent Of them are based on assess
ments Of $4,000 or less.
"The people who are really sup
porting the school children" he
added, "are the owners of COM
mercial and industrial property
and vacant lots. the owners of a
few of the larger estates and
farms and the people who have nc
children"
Tax System Explained.
The finance chiefs remarks
about educational costs came dur
ing the course of a talk in which
he explained the various State
county and special district tax
rates that combine to form the
overall tax rate in the 18th elec-
ton district. This includes Silver
Spring, Takoma Park, Kensington
and Wheaton.
He noted there are 20 different
tax rate combinations within the
district. This is because of the
arbitrary boundaries of fire, Ii
brary and other special taxing
districts, few Of which coincide
with each other, he explained.
In its business meeting, the Al
lied Civic Group approved the text
of letter to Gov. Lane thanking
him for his support of the widen
ing of Georgia avenue from Silver
Spring to Glenmont, which is
scheduled to begin next spring.
Other improvements Urged.
At the same time, the group
fixed its sights on two other major
high hway improvements old
Bladensburg road from the Prince
Georges County line to Viers Mill
road and Colesville road from
Franklin avenue to White Oak.
Accepting the recommendations
of its public highway committee,
headed by Willard A. Morris, the
group agreed to ask that the Old
Bladensburg road projecttbe given
priority over Colesville road.
Also approved was a resolution
requesting the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission to build combined COM
munity center and auditorium in
Silver Spring. Another resolution
urged the use Of luminous paint
on street name signs and the es-
tablishment of a system of street
naming ,in which the name Of a
street would indicate its general
location.