Evening star., 1952-07-21
Reassessnlent
ToHif Suburban
Home Owners
Nearby Montgomery
Faces 20 to rs Pct.
Tax RevuIuution
By Chorles [. Hoffman

By chorIes L. Hoffmon
Home owners in the suburban
area Of Montgomery County will
feel added effects of imitation next
year as result of a reaSSesSment
which will add an estimated $50
million to the county's assessed
base.
The average home owner in
the suburban section can expect a
20 to Is per cent increase in his
property assessment. The re-
assessment will effect his 1853 tax
bill.
County officials have estimated
that the present $487 million as
sessed base will be increased about
500 million in fiscal 1853.
Some $35 to $40 million will be
added in the assessment of new
subdivisions and other new con-
struction
The rest, according to Wilton T.
Allen, supervisor of assessments,
will be added to the books through
reassessment of property in the
7th and 18th and parts Of the 4th,
5th and 10th districts of which
the heavily populated suburban
area is composed.
Will Add So Million.
The increased base will add an
estimated So million to the county
treasury at the current tax rate.
It could possibly mean, county
officials have intimated, that the
tax rate could be reduced next
year.
One reason given for usingI
100000 of surplus funds for op-
Grating expenses this year was tol
let it act as buffer" between the
necessary tax rate increase this
year and possible reduction next
year.
The eight county assessors have
been working on the suburban.
area assessment off and on forl
the last two years. Six of them
now are concentrating on reassess-
mentS while the other two work on
new property.
Some $4,000 pieces Of residential
property with a present assessed
valuation Of some $500 million will
be Scrutinized this year.
$3.50 Pct. Assessment.
Although the State law provides
Tor assessments at full market
value, the county is aiming at a sol
to so per cent of the market value (
figure, Mr.. Allen said.
Since new homes were assessed |
at so per cent of their sales prices
in 1851 they will not be hit as hard
as older homes in the area. Most |.
OF the older homes in 1948 were
put on the books at about 40 perl:
cent OF market value, Mr.. AllenIt
said.
The assessment chief said the
county does not assess at full mari:
ket value because of the obviouslyI'
inflated prices put on real estate.
The suburban area reassessmentl
winds up the second five-yearl
cycle under which the county ISL
operating.
Inc assessed base in the countyI'
In the last four years has nearlvl
doubled its 1948 $249 million base i
he said. The number of propertiesII
also has increased from 49, 900 tol
$4,000.
During last year alone, the basel
increased some IS million, of which,:
about $22.5 million was added due
to reasseSsment Of commercialIl
property.
Proud of Record.
Mr.. Allen is proud of the record
OF his department. Last year, he
said, OF 168 assessments appealed
to the State Tax Commission, 158 :
were affirmed. Two were dismis-
Sed, five reduced and four in
creased.
Next year. the county goes on ali
three-year reaSSesSment cyclelf
which provides for all reassess- ID
melnts to go on the books at the lie
same time. Ia
Although the new system will Ia
work to tha advantage of the tax
payer, and should cut down com-lr
plants. Mr.. Allen feels it will en- Ic
TAN a great deal more work forIt
his Office. He will need at least q
Two more assessors, he said.
Mr.. Allen said that although re- It
assessments will be made every
three years, it does not mean thatIg
new homes will not be assessed S
Immediately. He said a ruling II
from the Attorney General stated IS
tnat new assessments can be putt In
on the books at any time. 1t
Approaching Bond Limit.
Mr.. Allen sees a possible limit 8
on issuance of county bonds under ,
the new three-year rule. {
The county, by law. cannot is
sue bonds in excess of 10 per
cent of its assessed base. 4,
With its extensive school con-
struction program, the county has
been approaching the bond limi-
tation nearly every year. Once
the assessed base is established I,
next year. it will be frozen for I
three years. except for new prop
erty. It could bring a near halt
to the school expansion program
until 1856, Mr.. Allen said.
Metals Society Official
Aids Civil Defense Setup |,
N. H. Arbuthnot, vice chairman t
Of the Washington Chapter of theI s
American Cncinfu for AHotolc isI 4