Evening star., 1953-06-27
Mlhl10A|di, /,
Hearing
In Montgomery
School Supporters
Lose Effort to Get
Budget Cut Restored
By chorles [. Hoffmun

py NnorteS L. F1offm0n
A hearing last night on pro-
posed additions totaling $685., All
In the Montgomery County budget
for fiscal 1854 developed into
q lengthy and at times heated
dispute over closed session budget
discussions by the County Council.
It was the first hearing on
budget additions in Ave- years
that has drawn a sizable crowd.
Last night some IS persons at
tended-most of them making a
last-ditch effort to get support
for the School Boards requested
SIC million capital and operating
budget.
School Groups Unsuccessful.
School groups were unsuccess-
full as they criticized budget cuts
as false economy"
The council strongly hinted
last night that it is aiming at a
tax rate of $1.88 or $1.89 per
500 valuation-even lower than
the $40 rate recommended by
former County Manager Irving
G. McNayr. The present rate is
$2.10.
Council President George Mes
bitt stole the thunder of the
school supporters with a warning
that the only items to be dis
cussed were specific budget item
increases.
His ruling forced Jesse M.
MacKnight, Of the County PTA
Council, to abandon full pres
entation Of a statement criticiz-
ing as grossly inadequate" the
proposed school budget.
Mr.. MacKnight said the $99.-
694 increase in teachers sala-
rleS was merely a correction of
"arlthmetical errors" made by
the lame duck county man.
ager." The increase will provide
for hiring of 100 new teachers
at an average $1,000 year SAL
ary instead Of the $4,000 average
urged by Mr.. McNayr. Also pro-
vided would be funds for regu-
lar increment increases for all
teachers.
"Underpaid Teachers"
"Our children will be-
taught by underpaid teachers
-. housed in inadeQuately main
tanned schools transported by
an increasingly overloaded
school bus system" Mr.. Mac.
Knight charged.
School Board Vice President
Wylie w. Barrow said he had
planned to issue statement re-
futing charges made against the
board at a public hearing June
Is. His plans were charged, he
added, by Mr.. Nesbitt's ruling.
Mr.. Barrow said. however, that
even with the increased item for
salaries, the school board would
still be some 100000 short next
year.
Pat Holt, of 1904 Jefferson
street. Bethesda, hit the failure
OF the council to vote on in
dividual budget items in open
session.
Closed Voting Issue.
we want to know who o,Ir
friends are and how each
councilman voted" He added
the matter should be presented
TO the American Society of News
paper Editors Freedom of the
Press Committee.
Councilman Harold r. HAM
mond, in a retort to Questions
OF the closed voting, said no
councilman had anything to
cover up"
MIR. Hammond tried to get a
ruling from the chair on whether
public vote would be taken on
items Tuesday. He said he saw
mo purpose to be gained by it,"
We have fought, wrangled.
oattled over these items for
hours" he said. II see nothing
to be gained by blowing the
whole thing wide open Tuesday
as to how each councilman
voted"
The council not only held the
line on Mr.. McNayr's recon-
mended school operating budget
but also his $3.2 million slash in
the requested $7.2 million school
construction program.
Mr.. Nesbitt disclosed after the
meeting the seven-member coun-
Gil had been unanimous in its
action on both the construction
program and the relatively mod.
est increase in the school oper.
ating budget.
Road Projects Hit.
Robert Klaeber of Route 4.
Rockville, attacked the councils
addition of $934,270 in road
projects to the budget.
He especially hit projects to-
falling $500.000 in the Bethesda
and Silver Spring business Sec
tions and another $20l 900 for
Browns Station road north of
Gaitnersburg.
Mr.. Klaeber suggested these
funds be spent for the school
building program.
AS the council wound UP its
hearing it announced that a
number Of projects had been cut
from the $3.S million road budget
recommendation so that the net
increase will be only $452 2,28O.
The council is expected to act
on the total budget or to set the
tax rate late Tuesday afternoon.