Evening star., 1952-07-01
7-Cent Increase
In Taxes Voted
|nMontgomery
General Rate Fixed
At $2.10 Per $100 of
| Assessed Valuation
By ChorIes [. Hoffman

A 7-cent increase in the general
tax rate for the fiscal year Begin
ming today was voted last night by
the Montgomery County Council.
The new rate is $2.10 per 500
assessed valuation.
At the same time the council
adopted an operating budget of
$13.282,251 and a capital improves
ment budget Of $12,333,546. Addi-
tional expenditure of $1,3l7,823
for front-foot assessment street
projects also was authorized.
The council went almost to the
midnight deadline in adopting the
budget. Council members began
signing the resolution at 1850
pm.
Lower Than McNayr Asked.
The tax increase adopted was
II cents lower than the estimate
made by County Manager Irving
G. McNayr when he submitted his
recommended budget last May 20.
The council pared 1928, ,805 of
the managers recommendations.
then added $248,697 of it's own.
The adopted expense budget was
$l9,892 above Mr.. McNayr's total.
The increase from an estimated
$474 million to an actual $487,- >
397.650 assessable base provided
an additional $282, 900 in antici-
pated revenues for the fiscal year.
The council also revised it's other
revenue sources upward by $64,.
[849.
To hold down the tax increase.
the council coupled with these
sums another 100000 from ac-
cumulated surplus.
Schools Get Lions Share.
The lions share of the taxes
goes to operation of the county's
schools which will get $6,536,618
during fiscal 1928.
The tax rate is broken down
as follows: $l.28 for operation Of
the schools; "a cents for operation
OF the county government: Is
cents for county debt service, and
80 cents for school bond debt serv-
ice.
The council also voted to use
$877 400 Of surplus monies for
capital projects. BY putting the
county on as much of a pay-as-
you-go basis as possible, the coun.
Gil said it hopes to improve its
credit standing.
Included in the budget is q
provision for a new director OF
public safety $4,000 yearly and
"a budget and procurement officer
($7.5O0). The duties of both Of
|ficers are now performed by the
county manager.
New Prosecutor Refused.
The council also provided $s..
600 for a full-time juvenile court
judge and $4,000 for the requested
position Of controller for the
Board Of Education. A request for
an additional assistant county at.
torney at $500 was denied.
A laSt-ditch effort by Council-
man Harold Hammond to pave
the way for putting county police
on a 52-day week was defeated
by a 4-to-2 vote.
The council provided for five
new policemen to bring the force
to 165.
The council restored $4,000 Of
the $59,185 requested by the Of
nee OF Civil Defense. Mr.. McNayr
had recommended that the civil
defense appropriation be discon-
tinued.
19O New Teachers Provided.
In the schools operating budget.
the council added $82,88O for
teachers and principals salaries
to bring the total to $4,448. $40.
The appropriation will provide for
100 new teachers. It will not all
low for any increase in scales for
the first four grades as had been
requested.
The council slashed some $10- :
695 of the appropriation for the
county library department cutting
it to $233.921.
The Councils budget also au-
thorizes funds for an actuarial
study Of the police retirement fund
and an economic base survey of
the county.
The major portion of the capital
budget is set aside for the county's
intensive school construction pro-
gram. The county authorized 50
for this program and ap-
proved projects totaling some $1l.2
million. The School Board must
decide which projects will get ton
priority providing additional funds
are not forthcoming from the
State or Federal Government.
Other Provisions.
Other capital funds will be
channelled as follows:
Road and storm drainage prof.
acts 81 A1Q 5ff. C0,,nfv 0A6c>