Evening star., 1953-11-22
N% STAIR EDJrEou
Assessments Called Too Low
In Seven Maryland Counties
Tox Group Warns
Realty RevoIuotion
Will Be Necessary
By chorIes [. Hoffmon

BY Charles l. Hoffmon
Assessments in seven Mary
land counties are so far out of
line-on the low side-that re-
assessments are necessary, the
State Tax Commission said yes
terday.
Commission Chairman Deeley
I K Nice in press release said
30 per cent of all real estate in
the State is assessed between
as and SIS per cent plus" of
sales values.
The offending counties are
Calvert, Somerset, Kent, Howard
Charles, st. Marys and Wor.
cester.
All seven show ratios of as
sessments to actual sales of less
than IS per cent. Mr.. Nice said
Reassessments Urged.
Countrywide reasSessments ap-
pear necessary in Calvert, Kent
and Somerset. Mr.. Nice added
In Howard. Charles. st. Marys
and Worcester counties and a
few others where assessments lie
between 35 and 40 per cent, re-
assessment of certain districts
may solve the problem, Mr.. Nice
said.
The tax commissions state
ment was released on the basis
OF a still unpublished survey of
assessments throughout the
State.
The Survey-Which took eight
months to complete-was made
oy Wilton T. Allen, Montgomery
County assessment supervisor;
Somerville Nicholson. Allegany
supervisor: Stephen M. Kahoe,
Hartford supervisor, and Louis
w. Kutsch, Prince Georges su-
perviSor.
The survey group found that
Baltimore City's ratio of assess
mentS to sales was the highest
so per cent.
Within 45-5O96 Range.
Considered by the tax COM
mission as being uniform at As
to SIS per cent were Montgomery,
Prince Georges, Allegany, Anne
Arundel, Baltimore, Hartford
Talbot and Washington counties.
The commission pointed out
that in analyzing the survey, "it
must be. borne in mind that
assessments as originally made
are not based upon sales alone. /"
The tax commission instruc-
tions call for assessments at full
cash value. making allowances
for abnormalities and inf1ation-
airy influences.
Mr.. Nice said the commission
would not order any reassess-
ments until the various county
commissions are given chance
to take this action themselves.
If they fail to act, however
the commission will order re-
assessments wherever necessary
Mr.. Nice said.
Seek Statewide Uniformity.
A complete reassessment in the
offending counties to attain uni
formity would give taxpayers a
corresponding reduction in tax
rates and only small increase
in the tax bill if expenditures
are not hiked, the commission
said.
The commission noted that
spec a / circumstances have
caused some of the inequities
For example:
l. In Howard County there is
a new assessor who has not vel
had a chance to do his job.
2. In st. Marys County there
has been an influx of population
near the naval base and sales
have skyrocketed.
g.. Sales have also scared ir
Charles County because of the
creation of new commercial
properties along Route 301.
4. The lack of uniformity ir
Worcester is due chiefly to real
estate promotion of a seaside
Island of barren land" where
lots have been assessed at $1OC
to 5000.
These special situations "can
and will be quickly corrected" !"
the tax commission said.
In no case, Mr.. Nice said, will
the reassesSments which the
commission wants affect next
U6o1.'e occaccoh1n Loeoc