Evening star., 1953-12-13
'Taxes-Paid' Ad
In Assessments
Fight Protested
Democrats AssuiI
Montgomery 6. 0. P.
For 'Buck-Pussing
By ChorIes [. Hoffmon

By chorles [. Hoffmon
Montgomery County Demo.
Gratis today accused the Repub.
lican-controlled County Coun-
Gil of using public funds for
political purposes in inserting
paid advertisements in WASH
ington. Baltimore, Frederick and
Montgomery newspapers.
The advertisements, which
one county official said cost
nearly $4,000. urged Gov. Nc
Keldin and the State Tax Com.
mission to bring Is counties as.
sessment ratios up to Montgom-
ery's ratio of so per cent Of
actual value.
The blast was the first fired
officially by the Montgomery
County Democratic State Cen
tral Committee, although the
assessment furore has been go
ing on for at least a year.
Cites Loss of School Funds.
At the, same time, the COM
mittee urged the council to re.
duce all assessments in the
county to "the average amount
for the State" and to increase
the 10 per cent county debt
limitation to permit the sale Of
bonds necessary for school con.
struction.
This solution. Warren Brown.
ing. committee chairman said,
entails an admission by the
Republican county adminiStra.
ton of its errors and their ac-
ceptance Of responsibility for the
past loss to Montgomery County
of millions of dollars in State
school equalization funds"
Allegations in the advertise
ment that "the most gross and
shocking disparities" exist be-
tween the counties on assess
ments and that Montgomery
residents "are victimized" as q
result. is beyond dispute, the
committee said.
Taxpayers Called 'Victimized.'
But to further victimize the
taxpayers Of Montg cry
County by paying out Of the
public treasury for such Republic
can political propaganda which
is a combination of legal double
talk. political buck-passing and
designed confusion, is to add
an insult tc the intelligence Of
the taxpayer" the committee
said.
Montgomery County now pays
more than it's share of State
taxes and gets only a few thou
sand dollars in equalization
funds. the committee said.
The Democrats charged that
this was the result of "a deliber-
ate. concerted and long-con-
tinued action by the Republican
County Council, the Republican,
appointed appeals Tax Court
and the Republican Supervisor
of Assessments. -. in constantly
working to raise the ratio Of
assessments to sales in Mont
gomery" County officials re-
peatedly have denied this
charge.
The statement released yester-
day termed the advertisement a
frantic attempt by the Repub-
lican controlled County Council
to justify its untenable position"
in the assessment controversy.
State Legislature Could Act.
The committee noted that the
county's 10 per cent bond limi-
tation was set about four years
ago. Previously it had been
seven per cent. The committee
said the State Legislature next
February could increase the
county's limit If it were requested.
THE Republican County
Council does not wish to raise
this 10 per cent limitation on
bonds because they fear the
political repercusSions on their
fictitiously created illusion Of
financial stability and economy"
the committee said.
The County council, compris-
ing five Republicans and two
Democrats, is not inclined to
take the corrective steps sug-
gested. the committee said.
"They seem inclined to persist
in their obvious folly for politi-
cal reasons and are devoting
their energies to obscuring the
issues. passing the buck to the
Governor and the State Tax
! Commission and demanding that
all other counties follow in their
ill-considered and erroneous
course"
Mr.. Browning, in releasing the
statement. emphasized it was not
a campaign kickoff, but rather
a sort Of warm-up session."
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