Evening star., 1954-09-17
Montgomery School Budget

In The Star of September 6 there
appeared letter to the editor from
James Tolson Forster on the subject
Of School Board expenditures and taxes
in Montgomery County. Since Mr..
Forster's letter contained number of
inaccuracies which involved reflections
on the Board of Education of Mont
gomery.s County. believe that a reply
is in order.
Of minor Importance. but neverthe-
less an inaccuracy, is Mr.. ForSter's
statement that building costs in Mont
gomery County amounted to $36, 6,489
per classroom. In the report from which
this figure was taken, the figure for
Montgomery County is $31 1.042. Mr..
Forster evidently was quoting the
Prince Georges County figure, which
was $36.849 for the period 1950-53. In
the same category is the statement that
the board employs two psychiatrists
at cost of $4,000. year. Actually
the board retains one part-time PSYCHE
artist at an annual cost of $4,000.
Budget provision also is made for
psychologist and assistant at a total
cost of $11,170.
Mr.. Forster speaks Of funds being
diverted" and of the Juggling of
school budget items" In support of
these statements he says that: "a So
million saving was announced when
desegregation changed school building
plans. An immediate tax cut was prom
ised." But, he says that despite the
fact that certain building projects were
cancelled, "The So million remains in
the budget. They're collecting it from
us taxpayers. Who gets the So million?"
The board did reduce its capital
budget for the year 1886 by $942 ,440
(not 50 millionl as a result of the Su-
preme Courts decision. This reduction
was not announced by the board as a
saving, for it only represented the
temporary. postponement of certain
projects, principally proposed addi-
ton to the Carver Negro High School
at Rockville, until the effect of integra-
ton on the countys school building
program more adequately could be de-
termined The boards reduced capital
budget was approved by the County
Council. 1t amounts to $8,282.559 COM
pared with the 1924, ,999 originally re-
quested. The $942,44O reduction does
not remain in the budget, and, there
fore, is not being collected from tax
payers as claimed by Mr.. Forster.
The Board of Education did not
promise tax cut, which, of course,
would be beyond its authority. Very
little, if any. of the boards 1954-55
capital budget is reflected in the cur
rent years tax rate. The money to
construct school buildings is not bor-
rowed all at one time, but rather from
time to time as the work progresses. It
is unlikely that any interest will be paid
in this fiscal year on bonds sold to
finance the boards 1954-55 capital
budget as only a relatively small part of
the total cost thereof will be expended
before January /. Interest on bonds
sold after January will not be payable
until the next fiscal year.
The Board Of Education held no sin
formal meeting to discuss its budgets
! with the parent-teacher associations.
as charged by Mr.. Forster. or with any
other organization or persons. other
than county officials.
AS to the amount Of State money re-
ceived by Montgomery County for the
operation Of its public schools, the
funds derived from the equalization
funds have decreased in recent years.