Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-03-12
d. Brooke Lee
Continued from Page II

Full text of Col. Lees statement
follows:
Following recent local political
meetings a number of citizens have
asked me what is cooking and who
is fighting who in Montgomery
County.
Speaking only for myself, l am
not now engaged in a fight with
any Democrat or group of Demo-
Gratis.
After talking with a number of
hundred County residents, believe
that the people of Montgomery
County are now principally inter-
ested in Ways and Means to stop
and keep stopped the philosophy
Of unlimited wasteful and unneces-
sary spending that prevails at the
County level and to re-establish
economical, responsible and ade-
quate government in the County.
Under the present Spenders in
the County Council, property as
sessments are pushed up every year
and the County is at the same time
burdened with the highest tax rate
ever.
The total and the ratio of the
County Spending increases every
year whether measured on a per
capita basis or any other way.
In 1915 near the end of the last
Democratic County Administration
total County Bonds outstanding
stood at $9,725,OO0. Every child
had desk in a modern schoolroom
and Police, Road and other County
services were excellent and ade-
quate. In 1915 County Teachers
and Police salaries led the State.
In seven years, or at the end of
1852, County Bond issues have been
raised by the local Spenders to 1884,
100000 or an increase of some
275%o. The per capita bonded
County debt has increased from S84
in 1915 to 1888 in 1862 or by 1909
for every man, woman and child
in the County, Notwithstanding the
population increase.
Few, if any, County services have
been visibly improved and we have
little that is new except a Million
Dollar County Office Building in
II
Rockville which has been 8 years
in the building and may open some
time next summer, a wider distri-
button of public library books and
very bad new Upper Montgomery
County Subdivision regulation.
Measured on any basis the spend
ing goes up every year.
The average Suburban home
owner is going to pay from SIS
to $3.50 more in taxes this year
than last year. The percentage of
increase on farms and business pro-
perties and land will be worse as
each re-assessment is made.
The total County Real Estate
assessment has been forced up to
produce the millions needed each
wear for this County Council spend
ing. The officials who regularly
increase County assessments are
the County Assessors. They are
I'll nominated and appointed by the
County Council. The County Coun-
ell pays half their salaries from
County funds, and then pays each
Of them a substantial monthly
bonus salary over the statutary
requirement.
In seven years Republican Spend
ers and Assessors have in this man.
ner brought about a 1850 increase
IN the total County assessment.
In 1945 under the Democrats.
total County real estate assess
ments totaled S1S6 279 600 .
BY 1862 the County Council had
Gotten the total County assessment
M to SA96.727O00 or an increase
# S3l0,000,000. This does not in
clude the scores of millions more
that are being assessed against ex-
isting suburban homes this year.
At the $40 County Tax rate the
increased assessment produced
obout S6510,000 more than the
'945 assessment would even at the
h0her current tax rate. (Note the
'i5 tax rate was $3.50 lower than
he '52 rate)
This S6,510.000 is new annual
tax income. About half of it is
"aised by lacking up every year
'he assessments on existing houses,
forms, stores and land.
The sky or the voters patience
is the limit. How much more can
YOU stand?
II is all done in Rockville. You
elect the County Council that runs
vour Government i'm Rockville.
Either the Democratic Party OF
the Republican Party will have &c
clean out the mess in Rockville
md put an end to the spending
"hobia that controls the County
Council.
Since the official Republican
County organization endorsed anC
elected five Of the seven member,
# the present County Council anC
a'so endorsed and voted into ex
istence the present plan Of County
Government, which plan of govern
ment lends itself so easily to ovel
..''e '.'.aas. go .4,t..s,s s.f''-s s.t.'.