Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-01-28
Rockville VS.. County Government

There has been considerable yackyack County govern
ment circles from time to time the vast taxfree holdings
of the Federal government in Montgomery County.
These holdings have been estimated at about $500 mil
on rght-tidy little which adds up about $50 million
more than the Couny tax base They add up also about
a $l4 million loss in tax
County officials, in the past and, far as know in
the present. have been rked this situation and
have been loahe unwilling cry their statistics
over the big Federal steal
On the other hand and while crying robber the County
government has continued to ignore the fact that occupies
an analogous position in relation to the city of Rockville
The fact is matter how it hurts the County govern
ment owns and occupies taxree real estate at the County
Seat worth about 25 per of the total base with
resultant loss to town Golfers of considerable in
These losses rghttidy amount of hard cash which
might be dubbed fruits of the big Rockville steaa least by
hard cash reaists.
The County government other than paying its water BILL
hands to the town big fat with the exception of
measy $1,000 year which contracted pay an old
sewer installation agreement.
The Rockville city government in many years of talk
entreaty and general badgerng has gotten exactly place
its attempts to the County into paying fair share
OF costs to the town. in lieu of taxes of those costs involved
in providing facilities and services.
Rockville is bursting at the far as growth
is concerned 1t faced with the very real financial problems
connected with providing regular services to it's citizens
well Immediately implementng inadequate sewage and
water systems.
The actual cost of these undertakings is not known
the present time 1t has been established that the towns
share of the cost of running its to the Cabin John
watershed will be between 100000 and 100000.
In the matter of water the cost of running the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commissions water main to town
boundaries will be in the neighborhood of $4,000 plus
charge of ~ cents per 1000 gallons pumped. 4
On top of these COSTS Rockville soon must float 100000
or 100000 bond issue for it's million gallon storage
tank and its connections plus other work done the water
system last year.
At this time the towns tax base stands at about $23
million Its bonded Indebtedness stands at 81 This
does not include another 100000 which is not required to
be charged up to the 10 per statutory debt limit and
which is paid off by special already figured into the
present 90-cent town tax
When the bond issue referred above is added to the
present bonded Indebtedness the total will stand at
matey S1583OOO within 100000 of the legal limit an
uncomfortable margin face of the unknown costs of i'm
mediate improvements to the and water systems
While is true that the town go ahead of it's 10 per
GENT limit for certain types of improvements by per cent
1t is doubtful that even this extra percentage will solve cur
rent problems small leeway in borrowing capacity may
come about this year by hike the taxable base ANY other
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