Evening star., 1953-03-08
Tax Rate Cut
Seen Difficult
In Montgomery
CounciImen Fuce
Budget Problems
OF School Bourd
By ChorIes [. Hoffman

BY ChorIes l. Hoffman
Economy talking Montgomery
County Councilmen will have to
WELD a large ak if they expect
to effect any cut next June in
the present $2.10 tax rate.
AS a matter of fact, it looks
to some like councilmen will be
doing well to hold the line this
year, despite an estimated 500
million plus increase in the
assessable base.
Schools Ask sos Million.
A preview Of the job ahead
was presented last week when
the School Board asked for sos
million to operate the schools
next year.
The figure is just about 50
million more than it now is TAX
ing to keep the schools going.
The county now spends $1.61
Of the tax rate for school oper-
alton and school debt service.
If the council Is able to hold the
line on this rate, the county
school system would get only
SIG million more next year.
A look at the proposed budget
shows that 100 new teachers
must be hired for classrooms to
be opened by next fall. This
alone accounts for an additional
$780, 900.
What's more, the debt service
on school bonds will Jump next
year from SIT million to $2.2
million.
Automatic Pay Raise.
School teachers also receive
an automatic annual pay raise
Of about 500 which would add
another 100000 plus to the
present instructional service
costs.
With a number of new schools
to be in full operation by next
fall, other costs for maintenance,
cuStodial services and tranSpor-
tation are bound to rise-unless
the council finds some fat in the
present operation costs.
The school board asked for
| $580,000 for maintenance, 81
million for custodial services and
$485, 900 for transportation.
| School teachers appear un-
likely to get a board-requested
$150-a-year raise this year, des-
pite the fact a beginning teacher
with an ABB. degree now gets
some $400 a year less than a
new policeman.
Informed Of the requested pay
increase, Council President
George F.. Nesbitt said he stood
on the councils recent economy
statement" that no overall pay
adjustments would be made Eek
cept on the most convincing evil
dence OF 1nequ1ty."
Councilman Harold Hammond,
one Of a trio who last fall issued
a statement processing a belief
a tax cut could be made, said
he saw little hope for the teach
er pay raise. He added teachers
are paid for 91a months work at
40 hours a week while police
men work IL months a year, 48
hours a week.
Mr.. Hammond, after learning
of the School Boards requests
said that although the percent
age Of the tax rate which goes to
schools is high, it may be even
higher next year.
Other Cuts Sought.
The councilman indicated he
had his eye on cuts in other de-
partments-"a five cent cut here,
three cents there, perhaps a total
slash of 10 to IS cents"
Other officials, including g
County Manager Irving G. Nc
Nayr, have indicated they felt
hopes were dim for any tax cut
this year. The tax rate has
continued to rise in recent years
despite sharp increases in the
assessable base in the postwar
housing boom.
Nc. McNayr, last year refused
to recommend q pay raise for
teachers and has said he will
take the same action again this
year.
The School Board also has
asked for $7.2 million for work
on 40 school construction prof.
ects during the fiscal year be-
ginning July /.
Mr.. Nesbitt said he hopes a
committee to be named soon by
the council and the school board
to study school construction costs
will come up with an answer and
means Of building good schools
at lower costs.
The council-under pressure
from suburban residents who re-
ceived sharply increased prop
erty assessments this years.
looking for help from a joint
committee Of civic leaders to trim
the tax rate.