The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1951-12-20
AROUND FLOWN
WITH THE EDHTOR


the County.
1t was also pointed out that if the
State, during 1852, bought the Will
Transport Bridge, another sum of
close to a hundred thousand dollars
would accrue to the County in pay
ment of their stock in the Bridge
Company.
These two items alone could pro-
vide an additional revenue of close
to a quarter of a million dollars.
The final decision of the Board was
to allow the 1852 budget to stand;
hold the tax rate at $3.50, and, should
more money be needed to meet the
final payment on the Salem Avenue
School, to issue bonds for whatever
amount, if any is needed.
Now let's glance at the bad oper-
alton - the fixing of the 1852 tax
rate for Hagerstown by the Mayor
and Council
Here you find the situation entire
ly reversed. The Mayor and Coun-
Gil spent long hours examining the
budgets submitted by the various de-
partments-The Light Department,
the Water Department, the Police
! Department and the Engineering De
partment, to mention just some of
them. But they were examined, not
so much with the idea of making
sure that the budgets were for ex-
penditures that were vital to the
needs of the taxpayers - such as
providing paved streets, sewerage
and adequate police protection 49, but
with the main purpose of keeping in
force the present ridiculously low
fifty cent tax rate.
While the city's budget, like the
county's, provides definite sums for
each department, it does not always
earmark department funds for spe-
cific projects, and this is particularly
true of the Engineering and Street
departments.
Here is a striking example:
A lump sum is entered in the
budget for what are called major
projects, which include, paved
streets, paved alleys and sewerage
facilities. When that budget is ex-
hausted, no further major projects
can be undertaken until another year
rolls around.
This year - and for that matter
in other years as well-the paving of
alleys, the surfacing of many streets
and the providing of sewerage for
homes without that vitality needed
health service, have been delayed
for the same old reason 49, the budget
for these items is exhausted
Yet will venture a guess that the
1852 budget for capital projects will
not be sufficient for the providing of
these badly needed services that
have been delayed time and time
again because of lack of funds, and
at the same time provide for the
normal expenditures for the coming
year. DevonShire Road is a perfect
example.
A large part of this city street,
that runs from West Washington
Street to Salem Avenue, is not only
unpaved, but is also without sewer
age facilities. For over two years
Councilman Hellane has been trying
to get these services provided, but
the cry has always been = no funds.
One would think that the Council in
considering the budget for~the En-
+ gineering Department, would see to
it that funds were definitely ear
marked for Devonshire Road, but
that won't happen and here's why:
Under the city government, a lump
sum for capital improvements is
provided. AS a result, there is al
ways big scramble among the five
Councilmen to get all of it they can
for their Wards and this always
winds up with many needed pro-
jects being neglected.
1t seems absolutely unfair to me
that, although every taxpayer in Ha-
gerstown pays the same tax rate,
some have every city convenience in
their homes, while others have to
walk or drive over unpaved streets
and rely on cess pools for their sew
erage - and all to keep that ridicu-
lousy low tax rate for a city of this
size = fifty cents.