Evening star., 1953-10-11
NRLl4,I4ly
Suggests
Boost in Taxes
Urged as Way
To Ease School
Budget Dilemma
By Chorles [. Hoffman

An increase in the Maryland
income tax. broadening of the
sales tax and a review of the
State assessment and school
equalization fund laws would
help relieve Montgomery Coun-
tvs school budget dilemma.
AT least those were some of
the suggestions made yesterday
as the Montgomery County
Council of Parent Teacher AS
sociations held its annual work.
shop in Rockville.
The proposals and criticisms
concerning present school fund
sources came not only from PTA
officials.
State Senator Anders R. Lof-
strand, jr., for example, said
more funds would have been
available for State school aid
if legislators had not whitfield
away the sales tax.
He suggested the tax might
be made on purchases over 10
cents rather than over so cents
as at present.
Assessment Study Asked.
County Councilman Lathrop
E, Smith would have the Stare
look over its assessment pro-
cedures throughout Maryland to
see that there is equalization
between counties. State school
aid is distributed partly on the
basis Of the total assessments
and Montgomery County this
year lost $415.OO0 because of its
sharp hike in property valua-
tionS.
Leslie M. Able, of Rockville
said he thought consideration
should be given to adding l per
cent to the present 2 per cent
income tax and have this revert
directly to the county with an
earmarking for school support,
That would bring in about So
to $2.5 million a year.
Mr.. Abbe added he believed the
State school construction incen-
tive fund should be based on the
county's school bond debt serv-
ice rather than on the number
of pupils as at present. This, he
said, would give the rapidly grow
ing counties more aid to meet
their demands for new class
rooms.
The PTA council held 13 work.
shop discussion sessions yester-
day but the most popular was
that on how to get adequate
funds for schools.
Transportation Critical.
School budget cuts totaling
nearly 81 million by the County
Council last June have left the
county system pinched in sew
eral spots, Wylie w. Barrow.
board vice president said.
The transportation situation is
he added. With 5000
more pupils to carry, the board
is still operating with the same
number Of buses as last year.
He added that although the
county cannot meet competition
in hiring teachers in the area,
the anticipated crisis was relieved
because enrollments fell nearly
/ 400 short of pre-school esti-
mates.
The SO million cut in the re-
queSted 81 million for school con-
Struction, Mr.. Barrow said, will
not affect the county much be-
fore 1855 or 1856.
The PTA council was verbally
spanked by Mr.. Smith for dis
tribution of letter chastisir.g
three county councilmen for
cutting the budget.
Closed Sessions Hit.
"You need friends, not en-
emies," he told the group. He
added that if the PTA leaders
get the facts about school needs
10 the people, the councilmen will
to resulting public
opinion.
Closed sessions during budget
considerations by the School
Board and the County Council
we're scored by Mr.. Barrow and
Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Smith recently
criticized his own council for
1olding too many meetings be-
hind closed doors.
The PTA leaders also heard
Dr.. Forbes H. Norris, new super
of schools, call for
complete independence of the
schools from partisan influence
,r methods.
I'm not afraid to have any
rood teacher teach any contro-
1ersial subject" he said in an
obvious reference to Arlingtons
dispute over health education.
He added he would rather his
children learn about life in the
classroom than at the corner
or bowling alley"
when we reach the point of
being afraid to compare our way
If life, it's time to be afraid"
Dr.. Norris warned.