Evening star., 1952-06-12
School
Budget Cuts Hit
AT Long Hearing
q Groups Support
Original Requests
Ia Montgomery

In Montgomery
About 500 persons jammed Cir
cult Court room in Rockville last
night. most of them to demand
that County Manager Irving G..
McNayr's cuts in the Montgom-
cry County school budget for next
year be restored.
The School Board has asked 81
million for operating expenses
and $11.2 million for capital ex-
|penditures. Mr.. McNayr recon-
mended to the County Council
that the appropriation be cut to
$6.4 million and So million.
First of Three Hearings.
AS the first of three public
hearings on the county managers
proposed $25 million budget got
under way residents were stand
ing on all sides of the courtroom.
The session wound up at / am.
Residents concentrated their
attack on the county managers
proposed slash in funds for teach
ers. But Mr.. McNayr stole some
of their thunder when in a brief
opening statement, he recon-
mended that $82,880 be added to
his original recommendation for
teachers and principals salaries.
School Board President Thomas
S. Jackson told the County Coun-
Gil, the boards requested budget
did not contain water or luxury
items" He defended the boards
request for 200 new teachers,
urged by the manager to be cut
to 100.
Mr.. Jackson said certain serv-
ices may have to be omitted II
the budget is slashed according
to the county managers recon-
mendation.
Asks Surplus Fund Use.
Mrs. Thomas Lee Smith of the
county American Association Of
University Women, urged that
$637 900 of the county's surplus
funds be used for the schools.
DR.. Harold P. Morris, 1112 Noyes
drive, Silver Spring, asked that
the slash in funds for Montgom-
cry Junior College be restored.
Carroll Fentress of the County
Council of Parent Teacher As
sociations presented the council
with a nine-page statement Of
recommendations differing with
both the boards and the mana
;Iger's recommendations.
i Throughout the hearing the
council members pleaded with
residents to suggest methods Of
obtaining funds for the boards
budget request.
Councilman Harold Hammond
said that each additional SAT 1000
expended above the managers
recommendation would mean a
1-cent increase in the 19-cent tax
rate boost he has asked.
Mr.. Hammond added that the
school boards expense budget re-
Iquests would necessitate an addi-
Itional 13-cent increase above the
managers request. The present tax
|rate is $2.03.
For more than two hours, rep
resentatives of % organizations
took the floor supporting the
school board requests.
Attacks School Budget.
Then William Wilder Evans.
Rockville attorney, rose to speak
from an 11-page prepared state
ment.
II feel obliged to object to and
strenuously oppose the proposed
school budget, the recommended
school budget, the entire policy.
!, fiscal that is, concerning the
school and the proposed increase
in the tax rate" he said.
Mr.. Evans said he formerly had
opposed E. Brooke Lee, county
Democratic leader, because of
spending, waste and his financial
policies"
But Brooke Lee was a piker
compared to our present free
wheeling spenders," he declared.
Mr.. Evans said the county will
spend some $424,500 on schools
for children of Viers Mill Village
while the subdivision residents
Ipay only $59,423 in school taxes
during the coming year. He added
the people there are entitled to
schools, but not the best schools
at the expense of the rest of the
county.
The attorney charged that the
, school construction program was
plagued with dreamy architects
and frills." He opposed construc-
+. ton of school gyms and cafe
terias.
Citing his own tax bills, Mr..
Evans said they had been in
lcreased 140 per cent in the last
five years.
Tonight the council will hold a
hearing on the public welfare.
safety and health budget recon-
lamentations.