Evening star., 1954-05-24
Harmony Ticket
Drafts Platform
InMolntgomery
Democratic Slate
Pledges Drive to Get
More School Aid
By ChorIes 1. Hoffmon


The Montgomery County DEM
ocratic Harmony Ticket today
announced a 15-point platform
promising intensive efforts to get
increased State and Federal aid
for schools, reorganization Of the
Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and
greater CO operation between
State and county elected officials.
The platform calls for a nine
point program for action at
Rockville and six points for ac-
ton at the General Assembly.
In adopting the program, the
states count for chief, Edward S.
Northrop, candidate for the
State Senate nomination, de-
clared:
I'VE reject the idea Of basing
our campaign exclusively on
negative. carping criticism (of
the Republican administrator.
G. o. p. Record Hit.
In placing primary emphasis
on obtaining State and Federal
aid for schools, Mr.. Northrop
scored the Republican record as
"singularly dismal"
The candidates said they be-
lieved the county tax rate could
be reduced without eliminating
public services by getting more
school aid and by broadening
the county's tax base to include
appropriate light industries"
The group advocates abolish
ing the Upper Montgomery
Planning Commission and ex-
tending the bi-county planning
Sagency'S jurisdiction to include
the rural area. This. perhaps,
would mean increasing the
Montgomery members on the
commission from three to five,
Z the platform said.
The Harmony candidates. in
dorsed by nearly all the Demo-
cratic precinct chairmen, also
said today they believed the Pub
lie Service Commission should
have some control over rate
making powers of the Sanitary
Commission.
Ask EquaIized Assessments.
The slate promised to press for
action to equalize assessments
throughout the State to secure
for Montgomery an equitable
. share of school aid.
The most pressing need at
Annapolis, the slate said, is to
secure increased and fairly dis
tributed State aid for school
i construction. The group also
9promised to support increased
facilities for State teachers COL
leges and closer cooperation
between the County School Board
and the County Council.
The slate called for a master
zoning plan, strengthening of
existing commercial centers and
the use Of the master plan in
establishing new local shopping
center apartment developments.
At the same time, the candi-
dates promised closer co-opera-
ton OF zoning and assessments
so that inflated potential"
values would not be assigned
residential of farm properties
located near business centers.
In an indirect slap at the
preSentlcouncil's practice of reg
ular closed sessions, the slate
promised to conduct the coun-
CHS business in "open, public
sessions"
An adequate police force with
salaries comparable to those in
nearby areas. support of the
volunteer f1remen, and council
leadership in activating a civil
defense program, were included
In the platform.
Civil Service Backed.
The candidates called for a
review Of the present policy of
charging the cost of street i'm
provementS to abutting prop
erty owners with a view to
correcting inequities" in the sys-
tenn.
Support of civil service and
the merit system in the county
but insistence on courteous.
reasonable and prompt service
on the part Of county employees
also was promised.
Many Of them County en-
ployeS) already meet these
qualifications, but there are
notable exceptions" the slate
pointedly remarked.
Other points called for revision
OF the trial magistrates system
to speed up hearings of traffic
and civil cases and support, in
general, Of the States 12-year
road program along with "any
reasonable compact" with Vir-
ginia and the District on mass
transportation improvement and
annual inspection of cars.