Evening star., 1953-10-04
|bllIQBo'sn /.
In 2Areds 10
Decide Fire Tax
Kent and ChiIIum
In Prince Georges
BuIIot Tomorrow

Fire taxes will be decided at
the polls tomorrow IN two Prince;
Georges County areas.
One referendum lis in a portion
of the Chillum election district.
Two years ago voters there re-
jected a fire tax and touched
off jurisdictional dispute which,
delayed fire and rescue service
in several emergency cases, some
of them resulting in deaths.
The other tax question is in
the Kent (13th) election district,
Residents of Kent Village. Kent
land, Brightseat. and other COM
munities of the district will de-
eide on levying 10 cents per 500
of assessed valuation.
The Kent tax would bring in
a bit more than $4,000 a year.
Kentland's Volunteer Depart
ment would get all of it until
such time as another fire COM
pany is formed and accredited to
the district. Kentland and the
new department would then split
the revenue.
Backed by Kentland Group.
The Kentland Citizens AsSo-
citation went on record last
month favoring the, tax.
The Kent Districts First Pre-
cinct polling place is in Roney's
Garage. Largo. Second Precinct
voters will ballot in Kentland
School. The polls will be open
from am. to 7 pm.
Chillum's referendum will be
decided in the Election Districts
fourth, fifth. sixth and seventh
precincts. The accompanying
map shows the boundaries of
the areas whose residents are
eligible to vote.
The Chillum tax would levy 8
cents on each $100 of assessed
valuation. .
The revenue would be divided
between the m-Adelphi
Department and five neighbor-
ing departments.
Only 527 Votes in 1851.
Chillum's 1851 fire tax refer
endum drew a total of only SGT
voters, out of the $500 persons
eligible to participate.
The Takoma Park Rescue
Squad had been giving service
to the Chillum vicinity, although
most of Takoma Park is outside
of Prince Georges County,
After the SGT voters rejected
the fire tax by more than two
to one, Takoma Parks Town
Council ordered its men to re-
fuse calls from Prince Georges
County except those involving
mutual-aid agreements and civil
defense.
In November of that year,
Takoma Park refused to answer
a call one block outside the city
limits. A 10-year-old boy had
been shot. He later died.
Girls Drowning Recalled.
In April of last year, a 6-year-
old girl drowned in Prince
Georges less than a mile from
Takoma Parks firehouse. Ia
koma Park volunteers were for
hidden to go to her aid. The
next-nearest squad couldn't get
away Immediately because its
driver was not available. A squad
was finally obtained on the third
call. ..
Then, last October, a 66-year-
old Prince Georges man had a
heart attack in front of his home,
just outside Takoma Park city
limits. Takoma Parks Volun-
teers, less than q mile away,
turned down the call. A Prince
Georges County company, about
three miles away. made the run.
The victim was dead on arrival
at Washington Sanitarium, 36
minutes after the first call for
help.
The Chillum area has its own
department now-the Chillum-
Adelphi company.
But Mount Rainier, Brentwood.
HyattSville, Riverdale and Col
lege Park also serve the precincts
that vote tomorrow. All those
communities have their own fire
taxes.
AvOndale Group Support.
The Avondale Citizens Asso-
cations directors have formally
endorsed the Chillum tax pro-
posal.
The levy would bring in some
$4,000 a year.
In 1851, members of the newly
organized Chillum- -Adelphi COM
pany. which had no equipment,
opposed the tax because no pro-
vision was made to pay their out
fit any money.