Evening star., 1952-10-12
Hopes Held Dim
On Tax Rate Cut
In nMontgo'nery
School Program Alone
Will Preclude Slash,
OfficiuIs Declare

property aSSeSSmentS-are over
optimistic if they foresee any SUBJ
|stantial slash In the county tax
rate next year. The county'S
school program alone viii pre-
|clude q cut.
That's the opinion Of a number
Of county officials including
County Manager Irving G.. Nc
Nayr and Finance Director Alex
K. Hancock.
Furthermore. Mr.. McNayr and
Mr.. Hancock say the cost of
operating the county government
would have increased substantially
during the last five years under
any form of government or any
political party.
The present $2.10 per.$ 500 valu-
alton has jumped from $2.03 last
year and $1.50 in 1946 under the
old county commissioners.
Schools Get Lions Share.
But the county officials point
to the fact that the lions share
of the tax rate goes for operation
and construction Of county schools.
The schools get $1.28 Of the tax
rate for operational expenses
purchase Of books, payment of ad-
ministrative staff and hiring OF
teachers.
Another 80 cents goes for school
bond debt service.
County officials point out that
only "a cents of the tax rate goes
for operation Of the county gov
|ernment. The remaining is cents
is. set aside for county bond debt
service.
Montgomery County's rapid
growth has given it a school
population that has more than
doubled since 1947. The enroll
ment October /, 1947, totalled
1886. The enrolment last
October ! was 37,959.
What's more there is no leveling
of in sight, school officials say.
Spurs School Construction.
Such a student increase called
for an extensive construction
program and from 1947 through
|1951-52 fiscal year, the county
authorized school construction
totalling about $25 million.
Again this year, the county
council felt obliged to authorize
another So million for new schools
in face Of a request from the
school. board for $11.2 million.
This years appropriation is only
a part of five-year $24.7 million
school, construction program that
will provide facilities for $500
students.
The county's school construc-
tion program is paying dividends.
This year, the county has practic-
ally no students on double shifts
The situation, however, is ex-
pected to worsen next fall.
MI. McNayr repeatedly has
tried to discourage residents from
looking forward to a sharp tax
rate cut next year.
Public Apathy Assailed.
AS long as the county continues
to grow and residents continue
to ask for more and better police
and fire service, more schools,
more library facilities and the
like, Mr.. McNayr says there will
be no appreciable cut in the tax
rate.
County councilmen again and
again have scored residents who
do not attend hearings on the
budget, then howl when they get
their tax bills.
Last June's budget sessions
brought out hundreds Of residents
all Of them interested in some
departments activities and most
OF them willing to pay an extra
cent or two on the tax rate" to
have the activity provided.
Budget hearings drew only two
or three persons who opposed the
requests Of county departments.
The hearings were hardly more
than a forum for interest groups
who came to pressure councilmen
to restore proposed cuts in re-
quests from department and
school heads.
Bonds Being Paid of.
Mr.. McNayr also points out the
county spent some SIS million
this year in retiring its bonded
Indebtedness and at least that
much will be required next year.
Furthermore, in two or three
years the county will begin paying
off about $40 million to be
borrowed this year from short
term State School Loan funds.