Evening star., 1951-08-13
PrinceGeorges
Surp|usCitedin in
Tax Boost Attack
Democrat Attorneys
Soy Million Was Left
By Retiring Board
By J. L. MichoeI

at leaSG 81 nlIllOu, according TO
attorneys to the former Demo-
cratic commissioners.
Furthermore" declared former
Chief Counsel Jerrold v. Powers
and his assistant. Robert B.
Matthias, "the incumbent Repub-
lican board can reasonably ex-
pect to have that much or more
in excess OF needs at the end of
the current fiscal year.
Before the $40 million budget
for the year beginning July / was
signed March 3d." Mr.. Powers
said, the new board was told that
it had at its disposal s950,00O in
unallocated funds and that in
creased real estate assessment
would yield 100000 more"
Tax Rate Advanced.
That meant, Mr.. Powers said.
that an extra $1,850,O00 was avail
able from county funds for ap-
preparation in the 1951-1952 budget
without change in the tax rate.
The current budget is ST million
above last year.
But, in the face of this infor-
nation" the attorney charged,
"the Republican board advanced
the tax rate from $190 to So and
denied funds for essential services,
claiming then and since that the
county was hard pressed to make
ends meet"
With that extra money avail
able, and over the protests of civic
groups" said Mr. Matthias, "the
new board slashed the health de-
partment's budget from $199,976
to S88,882, and gave school teach
ers 5000 instead of requested
$300-a-year raise. They also de-
MED additional aid for library ex-
tension and refused to provide a
penny for civil defense.
Recreation Program Halted.
"And to top things off," he add
ed. they eliminated a recreation
program for children, despite the
fact that the county had already
invested $4,000 in the project
since it was begun in 1949."
The summer recreation program
was partly taken over this year
by the Maryland National Capt.
tai Parks and Planning Commits
sion.
Mr.. Matthias, a captain in the
Air Force reserve, just recalled to
active service, released his state
ment before leaving for Camp
Kilmer, N. j. He said he did so
because the county'S financial
system. on which he had special
lied, needs explanation SO the
people may understand how this
surplus has been accumulated"
There will be some hair-pulling
when the League of Women Voters
finds out about this" he predicted,
land there probably will be dele
cations from various civic groups
appearing before the commission
ers, all seeking that which has
been rejected and probably more. -
Two Revenue Offices.
Here, as Mr. Matthias explained
it, is how the melon grew:
Prince Georges has two places
where income is received. One is
the county treasurer's Office and
the other is the county controller
But money received by the treas
urer and deposited in banks does
not appear on the books of the
county commissioners until the
funds are transferred to the con-
troller.
In the past, the controller has
transferred only enough needed
to pay the county's bills. When
the commissioners did not need
all funds held by the treasurer
as has been the case the last few
years. the remainder piled up in
the treasurer's bank account.
AS of February % this year, Mr..
Matthias added, the treasurer had
on deposit in banks throughout
the county a total of $2,352, ,O60.44.
Il do not know" Mr.. Matthias
declared, chow much of this has
been. transferred and extended but
assuming that disbursement has
been normal, it is obvious that at
least 81 million is now on hand
that can properly be called
surplus
Honesty is Unquestioned.
The fact that the amounts held
by the treasurer has not appeared
on commissioners records until
they were transferred to the co1-
troller explains, Mr.. Matthias said,
why the old and the new boards,
both unfamiliar with the county's
financial system, have been able
to sincerely expound the doctrine
that the county'S pockets were
empty.
Both groups" he continued,
"are unquestionably honest and
have either been ignorant of the
county's true financial condition
or unwilling to face criticism
almost certain to follow dis
closure that the people have been
paying more taxes than the needs
of the county require"
He added that the law provides
that taxes shall not be levied
above the county's needs.
A charge last week by the in
cumbent board, alleging that theil
predecessors had diverted" money
from general funds to finance road
projects instead of selling ar
authorized $500,o00 bond issue
brought this comment from Mr.
Powers:
"The county has substantial
surplus on hand. 1t had just sole
81 million in bonds and it wa.
simply good business to take the
money from surplus and replace
it from proceeds from bond sale.
in order to save interest on unex.
pended balances" (The bonds
have not yet been iSSued)
Mon Loses Legs in Accident