Evening star., 1952-10-10

Protest tHitsSndq
In Montgomery
Complaints Based
,s On Neiehbors' Status
Called Woste of Time

lowners who intend to protest in
creased reassessments on grounds
their neighbors' assessments are
lower will be wasting their time.
The County Appeal Tax Court
pointedly noted yesterday that it
will hear appeals in the light of
a recent Circuit Court ruling by
Judge Stedman Prescott.
Judge Prescott ruled a home
owner who admits his assessment
is below the full cash value of his
property cannot seek a reduction
on such grounds unless he charges
the assessment was made in a
Fraudulent or discriminatory
manner. ALI new assessments are
said to be at 50 to 60 per cent
of actual value.
Court Goes to Work.
With the increasing din over the
new assessments, the appeal tax
court began work yesterday on the
first batch of more than 500 pro-
tests filed. The existing stockpile
comes from only $500 assessments
mailed out of $1,000 to be COM
pleted this year in the metropol-
itan area.
Yesterdays hearings also
brought q warning that some resi-
dents are considering moving out
of the county because Of the pros=
pect of rapidly rising tax bills.
Chester Rightor, $40 Rolling
road. Chevy Chase, sounded the
warning as he appeared to protest
property assessments that he said
have jumped from cents to 33
cents a square foot in nine years.
Mr.. Rightor also reiterated
charges of Republican Congress
sional Candidate Dewitt S. Hyde
that other areas in the State had
set assessments between 35 and so
per cent of actual values compared
with Montgomery's target of so to
60 per cent.
Members of the court, however,
told MI. Rightor that no survey
yet had proved these suspicious. ="
Will Hear Protests.
The court yesterday formally
agreed to hear a group protest
from some 100 homeowners in
Brookdale who claim their recent
assessments jumped as high as
120 per cent oyer 1948 appraisals.
The hearing is:slated for LIS pm.
Thursday.
The court yesterday spent 4 ma
jor portion Of its time explaining
to obJecting citizens the pro-
cedure Of assessing and in ar
ranging conferences between as
SCISSORS and the protestants.
The court repeatedly told citi-
zens it had nothing to do with the
assessment law itself. The court
decides If there has been an error
in computation or in the use Of
the assessment formula.
The courts decision can be ap-
pealed to the State tax commits
sion either by the homeowner or
by Wilton T. Allen, supervisor of
assessments. -... -
Mrs. Kathryn j. Lawlor, who
Tuesday attacked the State law
as inequitable throughout the
State, also has criticized the pro-
cedure whereby the county assess
ment supervisor appeals to the
State commission through which
he actually operates. 80
Citizens Ire Reused.
The sharp increases in assess
ments in the down. county area
has aroused the ire of large groups
|of citizens. Mass meetings have
been planned by citizens associa-
tions many Of whom say their re-
assessments are so to 80 per cent
higher than 1948 appraisals.
Mr.. Allen, who earlier warned
that the average reassessment
would be Is per cent higher, said
the sharp increases are due to
the 1948 assessments being made
on 1941 values. Today's reas-
sessments are based on present
values.
William Edwards. representing
the Briggs Construction Co., Inc,
yesterday brought out one Of the
quirks of the present law. Mr..
Edwards said one new home built
by the firm and assessed in Sep
tember, was appraised at several
hundred dollars higher than 1den-
tical homes completed and as
seSSed in March. =
Assessors explained the recon-
struction factor was increased in
May and the. lower assessed
home will be reassessed this year.
They failed. however. to convince
Mr.. Edwards there was any JUS
tice in the one home owner paying
taxes for the remaining three
quarters of this year on q higher
assessed base than the other