Montgomery County sentinel., 1950-01-19
Silver Spring Ray Report
Will Be Released Tonight
(Continued from Paoe1)

vi the Maryland City recon-
mendation, the report states:
"It is one thing to recommend so
sweeping a reform, and another to
bring it about-the obstacles which
would arise would prove practically
insurmountable"
Other alternatives presented and
analyzed in the report are inclusion
III the District of Columbia; Mary
land City; Montgomery City and
the City of Silver Spring. Of the
latter, DR.. Ray says: at would
be practically impossible to estab-
lish and operate a city of Silver
Spring within the framework of
Montgomery County on an econ
omical basis. if however, the
citizens of Silver Spring have a
strong enough desire for autonomy
to be willing to face the additional
expense, then the issue assumes a
political aspect and cannot be prop
erly evaluated in a report of this
kind"
"The resolution of the govern
mental problems confronting Sill
yer Spring offers one further al
tentative, namely, continuation of
the present unincorporated status
in Montgomery County. While this
resolution of the issue does not
offer fully gratifying outlets to
those who consider Silver Spring an
iHtergrated economic and political
entity it does have much to recon-
mend it. In comparison with other
Maryland counties, Montgomery
has long been cited an one of the
best governed. Even those who
opposed the recent charter move
ment must concede that the intell-
igence and intustry which have
been applied in recent years and
months to the solution of the
county's governmental problems
will inevitably bring even better
government to the county,, the
report states.
Other interesting excerpts from
the report are: "The burden of
debt being borne at present by the
county is heavy. The incor-
Grafton of Silver Spring would
not change this issue substantially.
The Silver Spring taxpayer must
share the burden with others in the
county, whether or not his COM
munity is Incorporated.
"Few Montgomery Countians
realize that the most common
justification for the existence of
the Suburban District" is faulty.
The assumption upon which the
suburban district is based is that
the persons in that district re-
ceive special services for which
they should pay extra taxes. What
is overlooked is the fact that the
taxpayers within the suburban dis
trict actually pay more in taxes
to the county government than
they get in services. 1t has been
estimated that the taxes paid by
up-county property holders are
not sufficient to pay for the schools
maintained in their part of the
county.
"The up-county area, in other
words, is being carried by the more
populous area even for the ordinary
functions of government and with
out regard to special services main
tanned in the suburban area.
Justice to suburban taxpayers
would thus indicate the abolition
of the district. Needless to say,
however, the issue of the abolition
CT the suburban district would
serve as fuel to the county's politi-
cal fires," says Mr.. Ray.
"The County's political future
bids fair to be stormy but not
dark. There is always something
happening in Montgomery County
politics. Although there is fire.
quent anguish for any partisan,
there is never dull moment. The
MORE
charter government has brought
many improvements. Only a rank
partisan would insist that recent
reforms have all been bad. Even
if charter government should be
abandoned, which seems altogether
unlikely, the county still has made
vast strides in recent years toward
better government. If the charter
should survive, as is at present
indicated, and the county council
Should become more partisan than
is now the case, such a change need
not be expected to nulify or even
seriously modify the basic ad-
vances which have been made.". ".
"The resident of Silver Spring
need not shudder at continuing
to cast his lot with the govern
ment of Montgomery County. The
county is, and was before the char
ter, one of the best governed
counties in Maryland. His obliga-
ton, as a citizen of the county,
is to work for the continued i'm
I I.