Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-03


belief that the suburbs cannot
sively bedroom communities"
Montgomery County Manager
M. L. Reese last week urged pub
lie acceptance of a program to
encourage restricted planned in
dustrial growth as a means of
attaining a better balance in the
tax base.
In both Montgomery and
Prince Georges economic de-
velopment boards either are in
operation or are planned.
County officials have been
faced constantly with spiraling
government and school costs ris-
ing mostly out Of the housing
boom and population increases
These have been followed by
round on round Of tax increases
for the individual home owner.
Economic Consultant Homer
Hoyt in a special detailed study
of the Suburban Maryland coun-
ties in 1854 came up with these
.tallies:
Residential Revenues
Residential homes in Mont
gomery produced S6.9 million in
real estate taxes but still in
Cured a deficit of $1.S million
for services they demanded,
including schools.
In Prince Georges, residential
home owners paid $4.5 million in
taxes but were short $2.3 million
paying their own way.
Business and industry, on the
other hand, in Montgomery &C.
counted for SIG million in taxes
and produced a surplus of $1.4
million. In Prince Georges the
taxes amounted to 50 million,
some SIS million in excess of its
public service demands.
The fact that the 294 square
mile area just across the District
line is Observation-Disclosures. is
not questioned by the staff of
the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
which drafted the General Plan.
Only 8 per cent of the jobs in
the area are in industry while
81 per cent are in the Govern
ment.
The architects Of the plan
have scored as totally made
quate" the industrially ZION e d
reserve in the two counties.
MONTGOMERY, with only 15S
acres of industrial land in use,
has virtually no reserve-some
88 acres.
Can Meet Only 5-Year Need
Prince Georges County, with
$40 acres in use and another
l,l86 acres in reserve. has only
enough to meet its conservative
requirements over the next FIVE
years, planners say.
Planners feel the area is toe
dependent on Federal Govern
ment employment.
Furthermore, they say. Fed
eral installations remove valu-
able land from the tax rolls and
bring thousands Of workers into
the area without providing ade-
quate assistance to local govern
ments which must furnish them
normal public services.
The planners would guide the
industrial development they pro-
pose into specified areas.
/ The biggest concentration
would be along the Baltimore &
Ohio and Pennsylvania railroad
lines in Prince Georges County
I A number Of other locations
chiefly along circumferential belt
roads and other expreSsways
also are proposed.
The planners want very little
industrial growth in western
areas Of the regional district al
though they propose one site al
Old Georgetown road and som,
900 acres for expansion Of exist.
ing uses at Montrose near IN,
B&O tracks.
I Reaction 70 this proposal car
be expected Thursday night wher
the commission will hold a pub.
ile hearing on its proposed mas.
ter plan for development Of tn
Cabin John Valley area. TIT
hearing Will be al 9 pm. At tn
Walter johnson High School.
Planners see a minimum o