Evening star., 1953-08-29
Leaders Seek
Further Taxes
In Montgomery
Tighter Drivers Law
Also to Be Asked at
Meeting Of Officials
By Gene Goodwin
Stor Stcff ccrrespendent


OCEAN CITY, Md, Aug. 90
Montgomery County was set
today to propose three contro-
versial resolutions at the Mary
land Association of County Com
missioners meeting here.
Montgomery leaders seek asso-
citation support for:
l. Compulsory automobile in
Spection.
2. Tightening Of State laws on
requirements for drivers permits
8. A renters tax, a gross re-
ceipts tax or some other means
of drawing tax money from indi-
viduals and businesses which,
the Montgomery County Council
feels, are not carrying their fair
share Of rising educational costs
Mrs. Werner to Act.
Mrs. Stella B. Werner, Demo-
cratic member of the county
council, planned to present the
resolutions at the third annual
conference of Maryland's county
fathers here at the George Wash
ington Hotel. With her from
Montgomery were Arthur E. Mil
ler, director of public safety, and
County Attorney David Mac
donald.
Mr.. Miller drew up the first
two resolutions. They stem from
an accident on the Rockville pike
last month in which a make
shift day-camp bus ran off the
road and killed one boy and in
jured IL other children.
Mrs. Werner and Mr.. Miller
were prepared to argue that au-
tomobile fatalities in Delaware,
New Jersey and the District of
Columbia - where Government
owned and operated stations
periodically inspect cars-were
about 80 per cent below the ma
tional average last year.
In the II States where cars
are inspected by private garages
under State supervision, auto
fatalities were 8 per cent below
the national average.
Driver Is ExOnerated.
Mr.. Miller has blamed the
camp bus accident last month
on defective tire. At the wheel
when the bus left the road and
smashed a tree was a 17-year-
old Bethesda boy who has since
been eXonerated of any criminal
negligence.
However, Mr.. Miller and the
Montgomery County Council feel
that Maryland should make it
tougher for drivers to get licenses
to operate day-camp buses and
other unusual vehicles. =
The third resolution proposed
by Montgomery was drawn up by
Alex Hancock, director of the
county's department of finance.
1t stems from discomfort among
property owners whose real es-
tate taxes pay the major share
of county school costs and from
Montgomery County government
leaders.
The resolution proposes that
the State Legislature take steps
to make it possible to assess a
fair share of county and educa-
tional costs against individuals
and corporations who are domi-
ciled in and transact business in
the counties and who receive
benefits from the various county
services, but are not necessarily
owners of taxable property"
Additional Tax Powers.
The resolution goes on to
suggest that the counties be
given the same taxing powers
as the State. That would per-
nit Montgomery, for instance,
to levy a tax on people who rent
property.
1t also suggests overhauling
the so-called incentive and
equalization funds under which
the State now aids counties in
their programs. The present
system results in practically no
State aid for counties as large
and wealthy as Montgomery.
Albert w. Ward, secretary Of
the State Tax Commission, may
have something to say on the
Montgomery resolution. He was
scheduled to address the asso-
citation today. So was Russell
Mccain, chairman of the State
Roads Commission.
Main speaker at the confer
ence-closing banquet tonight
will be Mayor WinsloW F. Bur-
hans of HagerStoWn.