Evening star., 1950-06-10
Five-Cent Raise
In Taxes Asked
In Montgomery
Federation Also Urge:
Suburban Levy Cut;
Opposes New Building

Suburban Levy Cut;
Opposes New Building
An increase Of S cents in the
basic tax rate of Montgomery
County and a decrease of cents
in the suburban tax was recon-
mended last night by the Mont
gomery County Civic Federation.
The action was taken at a spe-
cial session in the Bethesda coun-
ty building. called for considera-
ton of the county's proposed
budget Of $l9.306.725. County
Manager I. G. McNayr had asked
for an increase Of 8 cents in the
basic rate. with a decrease Of S
cents in the suburban rate.
The federation recommended q
total Of $9,115, 900 for the opera
ton of the county government,
as compared with the $9,053, ,025
recommended by the county man
ager.
In order to produce this amount
Of revenue. the federation pointed
out. it will be necessary to estab-
lish a tax rate of $1.95, or an
overall increase of 5 cents per
500. The county manager had
recommended a basic tax rate of
$1.s3.
The tax rate increase asked by
the federation would be used to
provide about $4,000 for police
pay increases and $4,000 which
would be transferred from the
capital budget to the operating
budget for study of the county's
medical and hospital needs.
Opposes Rockville Structure.
The federation disapproved an
item Of SIP million in capital ex-
penditureS budgets proposed for
the construction of a new county
building in Rockville. It objected
to this item on two grounds: First,
the lack Of need for a building
of the size proposed, and second,
its location in Rockville. The
group suggested that further
study be given to the location.
Mr.. McNayr told the group the
county is now paying $23, 900 an
nually in rent, which would pay
the interest on the construction
loan. He said the county owns a
$4,000 lot in Rockville on which
the courthouse would be built. It
would house all administrative
agencies. Mr.. McNayr said, and
the present courthouse would be
turned over to court facilities.
The county has outgrown its pres
ent 20-year-old building. he de-
clared.
Comparative Costs Cited.
S. H. Ingberg of Edgemoor op-
posed the project on the ground it
would cost $4,000 annually over
the next 20 years as against $25,-
900 now being paid for rent. Einar
Christensen of the Silver Spring
Board of Trade opposed the loca-
ton of the project in Rockville.
He said the rapidly growing subur-
ban areas need better county
building facilities.
Allan B. Fay of Wood Acres led
the unsuccessful fight to have the
item restored to the budget.
The federation recommended
that the County Personnel Board
undertake a review of the pay
schedule of the police department.
The pay increases recommended
in the county managers budget
are inadequate and not in keep
ing with the duties and respon-
sibilities placed on the police
force" it was stated. An addi-
tional sum of $32,700 for salary
increases was recommended for
this department.
The federation differed with the
county manager over use of State
funds for school construction. He
had recommended the discontin-
uance of the use of such funds on
the grounds they must be repaid
within Is years.
"The extension of the amortiza-
ton period beyond Is years is de-
sirable," the federation said, "but
If the State loan has more desir-
able terms than can be obtained
through a bond issue. the county
should make use of the State
fund"
John T. Moore, chairman of the
Committee on Public Finance and
Budget, presented the report. He
will represent the federation at
the budget hearing Monday and
Tuesday nights in Rockville.