Evening star., 1951-03-31
MgS STATE :IEglI,,vv,., ,v,,
County Budget
OSLO Million,
81 Tax Voted
Recreation and CD
Denied Funds by
Prince Georges
By Robert 6. RoIIinas

By Robert c. RoIlinss
Minus funds for recreation ane
civil defense, a $40 million budget
for 195l-52 was adopted last night
by the Prince Georges County
Commissioners.
The commissioners set the tax
rate at 50, an increase of 10 cents
over the current rate.
The commissioners acted less
than three hours after day-long
public hearing attended by more
than 200 county residents, who
Jammed the Circuit Court room in
Upper Marlboro. Today was the
deadline for adopting the budget
and setting the tax rate.
AS adopted, the budget is item
for-item like the one proposed by
the commissioners last week.
Citizens pleas for inclusion of
$63.730 for the recreation pro-
gram, for $500 instead of 5000
annual increase in teachers sal
aries and for more money for H.
braries and the health depart
ment, were disregarded by the
county heads.
County Program to End.
The decision means that the
county recreation program, f.
nanced during the current fiscal
year by a $4,000 budget item,
will end June 80. More than 20
persons, headed by Temple Jar
rell, county recreation director,
and Benjamin Bolinger, president
OF the Advisory Council to the
County Recreation Board, yester-
day pleaded for restoration of the
$63,730 requested for the new year,
beginning July /. Petitions bear
ing several thousand signatures
were presented to the commits
sioners by Mr.. Bolinger.
Informed last night of the COM
missioner action, Mr.. Bolinger
asserted:
Il am really shocked. I just
can't imagine the commissioners
doing that. I am very much afraid
it is political suicide for them.
I will do everything I possibly
can to see they are never re-
elected"
c. Gerard Buscher, Recreation
Board Chairman, said he was
dumbfounded by the commission
ers' decision.
Sees Big Blunder.
II think the commissioners
have made a very big blunder,"
he said.
Walter F. Mulligan, civic fed
Grafton president. pointed out
that his group had indorsed the
recreation boards full budget.
The omission will be a bitter dis
appointment to many communi-
ties, he said.
Although the civil defense item
was not mentioned at the public
hearing, it was known that Civil
Defense Director P. E. Clark had
formally requested funds for the
coming year.
Many county groups, including
PTAs, the civic federation and
the League of Women Voters, had
indorsed the $300-a-year raise for
teachers requested by the School
Employees Salary Committee. The
commissioner voted a raise of
only 5000.
Louis P. Eberle. committee
chairman. told the commissioners
fatty yesterday:
Il don't see how we are going to
keep our teachers unless they get
raise of $500 a year."
People Held Willing.
On the same subject, Wells Har-
rington, chairman of the Advisory
Committee to the Board of Educa-
ton. had asserted:
I'VE want to get up to date in
this county. The people are willing
to pay for what they get"
County Health Officer Thomas
S, Englar told the public hearing
his budget was slashed from
proposed $199,976 to $88,882. He
pointed out that the lower figure
will not permit an expansion of
the school nursing service.
Asked by a member of the audi
ence if he had been given an op-
portunity to explain his requests
fully to the commissioners, Dr..
Englar said he had spent IA min
utes with them.
Only two speakers asked that
taxes not be increased. A number
said they were willing to have
taxes raised to pay for the services
they wanted.
Jerrold V. Powers, who served
as counsel to the former all-Demo-
cratic Board of County Commis-
sioners defeated by the present
all-Republican board in November,
said there should be $1,850,000 in
unallocated funds still available.
The outgoing commissioners an
nounced they were leaving the
surplus for the Republicans.
The $10,158,724 budget includes
$7,335,075 for the county school
system, of which about $35 million
will be received from the State.
The basic So tax rate applies
everywhere in the county except
Takoma Park, where the rate will
be $1.98 because a 2-cent library
tax is not collected there