Evening star., 1950-07-01
Suburban Tax
Reduced Scents
In Montgomery
Busic Rate Remains
$1.o0 as Council
Votes Record Budget

Montgomery County property
owners will continue to pay a
100 basic real estate tax during
the next II months while those in
the suburban area will get a scent
reduction in their 20-cent sub
urban district levy.
The two rates were adopted by
the County Council last night in
approving a record $8,715,471 op-
Grating budget for the fiscal year
beginning today.
The slash in the suburban dis
trict tax. which affects about two
thirds of the county's 163, 600 resi-
dents, is the second in two years.
Last year, the council cut the levy
from 81 to 20 cents.
Proceeds of the suburban tax are
used for special services such as
traffic signals, street lighting,
cleaning and maintenance and
tree trimming and planting.
Capital Budget Approved.
Also approved was a $1O,225,544
capital budget, including $7,394,-
700 for school construction, 1,222,-
500 for roads and drainage, 81
million for new county Office
building. $4,000 for public park
ing lots in the Bethesda business
district and $108,344 for compile
ton of the Silver Spring public
parking lot program.
The operating expenditures,
which are paid out of current tax
funds, State receipts and license
fees, are 1897. .554 less than the
amount recommended last month
by County Manager Irving G. Nc
Nayr, but $807, 1897 more than the
1949-50 operating budget.
The cut consisted of the trans
fer from the Public Works Depart
ment to the suburban district
fund of money earmarked for
suburban roads.
Financial Improvement Noted.
Capital budget items, financed
by bond issues and State loans
and grants, are approximately
$25, 900 more than Mr.. McNayr's
recommended capital outlay and
represents a SAL million increase
over last years figure.
In a statement accompanying
its 46-page appropriation resolu-
tion; the council said the county's
financial standing has greatly
improved during the past year"
The group attributed this to (1)
the reorganization of the county
government under it's charter, co
paying off all bonds and other OBJ
legations as they became due, and
CD retirement of all outstanding
short-term Indebtedness.
The council pointed out that
SLIT of the S1.90 tax rate is re-
CURED for school operating ex-
penses Can increase of 8 cents
over last year, and an additional
rs cents allocated for payment
OF principal and interest on school
bonds.
School Cost Increases.
Other county operating ex-
penses require 25 cents of the tax
rates cents less than was need
ed in 1949-50-with an additional
Is cents earmarked for county
debt service and 7 cents going to
the Welfare Board and the Uni
versity of Maryland Extension
Service.
The increased cost of oper.
ating the school system, the coun-
Gil explained, reflects the con-
stantly increasing enrolment.
Largest item in the operating
budget is $4.249,188 for schools.
This does not include an esti-
mated $1,387,095 to be received
from the State and Federal Gov
ernment.
The county school appropria-
tion is about $4,000 less than
the amount recommended by the
county manager but is approxi-
mately $650,000 more than last
years figure.
Other Appropriations.
Among other appropriations
are:
Police. s713,075. including funds
for eight additional policemen, Is
new police cars, 80 part-time
school crossing guards, a new
radio transmitter and salary in
creaSes for present members of
the force.
Public Works Department.
$768,856; Health Department.
$245,213; Welfare Board, S196,.
100; Finance Department, $685.
437, and Inspection and Licenses
Department, $59,120.
The council also approved salary
increases of $3.50 for Mr.. McNayr
and $3.50 for County Attorney
David Macdonald. They formerly
received $4,000 and $4,000 a
year, respectively.
The $7.3 million allocated for
school construction in the capital
budget includes $365,000 for the
purchase of the Bliss Electrical
School, Takoma Park, to house
the Montgomery Junior College.
. The college now occupies war
surplus buildings next to Bethes-
da-Chevy Chase High School. 1t
also uses facilities of the high
school.