Evening star., 1953-03-12
NewMOntgOmery Bill
Revives Old Plan 10
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
By Gene Goodwin
Stor Staff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS. Mar. 12.-The
Montgomery County delegation
planned to introduce in the Cen
eral Assembly today a bill aimed
at bringing about a fairer assess
ment system in Maryland.
The measure would force a
100 per cent valuation of all real
estate for State taxing purposes
but would allow local govern
ments to determine the percent
age of valuation for local taxes.
The proposal, first advanced
by the Case Commission on Re-
organization of the State Gov
ernment, was embodied in a bill
two years ago. but it died in
committee. The Montgomery
group feels the bill will have a
greater chance now because the
more heavily populated counties
are beginning to squirm under
what they feel is an unfair as
sessment system.
At present the State Tax Com
mission, in consultation with the
various county assessors, gener-
ally sets the assessment valua-
ton percentage. A decision to
reaSseSS property in the Bethesda
area at a 40 per cent of market
value caused loud protests in
Montgomery last year.
Would Affect Grants.
Forcing a 100 per cent valua-
ton for State taxing purposes
would assure Montgomery tax
payers that they were paying a
fair share of the State real estate
levy, sponsors said. It also would
guarantee that their county
would not suffer in the distribu-
,tion of State school and welfare
grants, which are based in part
on the total assessments of each
county.
The Prince Georges delegation
sat down with the county's State
Senator yesterday in hopes of
working out compromise on
legislation to reorganiZe admin
istration of Prince Georges Gen.
eral Hospital, but the session
finally broke up with frayed
tempers and very little accom-
plished.
The dispute centerS around
bill by Delegate J. Frank Lii
lard, Republican, to put control
of the hospital under a seven
member commission of business
and professional persons, with
no physician representatives.
Senator John r. Fletcher, Re-
publican, sympathizes with doc
tors protests that they should
be represented on the hospital
board. He leans toward a bill
prepared by the doctors, the
hospital directors and the county
commissioners to set up a IL
man board with two physicians
on it.
Yesterdays meeting broke up
when Mr.. Fletcher and Mr.. Lii
lard disagreed on provisions in
Mr.. Lillard's bill spelling out
stringent qualifications for some
of the board members.
Prince Georges School Supt.
William S. Schmidt presented
the delegation with a proposal
for authority to issue $9.5 million
in school construction bonds. Mr..
Schmidt said the school board
does not intend to start using
any of the bond authority until
after July l and that it will
finance all school construction
planned for the next two years.
1949 Authority Exhausted.
He said the $1O,65O,000 bond
authority granted by the 1949
General Assembly "is now ex-
hausted." The county expects its
present school enrolment of 49,
200 to increase to $4,000 next
fall and to $4,000 by 1856. Mr..
Schmidt said critical areas of
classroom need are at Seat
Pleasant, Ager road, OXon Hill,
Langley Park, Suitland and Fair
mount Heights.
Meanwhile, the Prince Georges
delegation introduced a bill to
give the county commissioners
broad home rule powers. Dele
gate Albert r. Hassall. Repub-
lican, chairman Of the delega-
tion, said the four Republicans
in the six-member delegation are
strongly behind the bill, which is
certain to stir controversy at
home.