Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-29
New Shop Centers
Seen as Tax Source
Prince Georges
Against Rise in
Present Levies
BY JAMES B. ROWLAND

~ JAMES Os NJ AkAGNO
Tax revenues from projected
shopping centers and industrial
developments are being counted
on to pay for most of the In
lcreasing school and public serv-
ice demands in Prince Georges
County.
The Board of County Com
misSioners has repeatedly thrown
out any suggestion for an in
crease in the $2.15 tax rate.
Our people just can't afford to
pay any more" declared Jesse
is. Baggett, chairman of the
board.
In the face of the county's
I$32.5 million bonded indebtedness
stands the need for a $11.5 mil
lion school construction program,
a 2.5 million addition to Prince
George General Hospital, and q
$1.3 million addition to the Upper
Marlboro courthouse.
Although discouraged by the
present bond market and its high
rates, the county heads have de-
lcided to offer IS million in bonds
in December 81 million for
schools and 81 million for the
hospital.
Asks $11.5 Million
To meet anticipated demands
in the next two years, the Board
of Education has requested $ll.5
million to house enrollments ex-
pected to exceed this years rec
ord of more than $4,000 pupils.
The building program calls for
more than 225 classrooms in Is
new schools and 10 additions.
Some lit youngsters now are
on double shifts.
Enlargement of the hospital
and courthouse are necessary be-
cause of the county's growing
population, Mr.. Baggett said.
zoning plans for several heavy
tax-bearing shopping centers
have been approved and their
construction schedule now lies
with developers.
| District Heights is scheduled
to have three multi-million dol
lar regional shopping centers, all
within two miles of each other.
Another sprawling commercial
area has been approved for the
intersection of Route so and the
Baltimore-W Washington Express
way.
Near Andrews Base
As soon as the matter of a
| future school can be worked out.
the commissioners are expected
to approve plans for a 107-acre
commercial and residential de-
velopment near Andrews Air
Force Base.
/ Scheduled to start business
next month is a large shopping
center at the south entrance to
Laurel on U. S. /.
Opening of such centers has
the effect of a sedative to
the tax-conscious commissioners.
who note that, exclusive of taxes
collected for special purposes.
the county receives $27,762 from
the Eastover Shopping Center,
and $94,689 from the Langley
Park Shopping Center.
4 Louis w. KutSch, county tax
assessor, thinks the shopping
centers will keep in the county
sales taxes which Prince Geor-
CLANS otherwise would continue
to give the District.
/ Tax Estimate
j He estimated that If Prince
/ Georges residents had made all
their purchases at home the
resulting sales tax would have
almost equalled $1.3 million, the
tax District merchants collected
last year on home delivered pur.
chases and returned to Mary.
land.
!. The red carpet also is out to
industrial developers, wanted for
LBS acres of industrially zoned
land within the regional district
iof the Maryland National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commits
sion.
Industrial firms already are
operating on 610 acres of land
within the regional district.
Other parcels outside the district
ARE available for industry.
Robert E. Boley. director Of
the county's Industrial Commit
tee recruiting industry, reports
that commitments for we'll
+ planned developments are ex-
|, pected from several firms by the
end Of the year.
Industrial Taxpayers
County officials will welcome
additions TO the list Of indus
trial taxpayers which now In.
clude Safeway Food Store Land.
over warehouse. $82, 093: Belts
vile Industrial Center, .657.
Aperican Car Foundry Indus
! tries. Inc. sll.677; the Coca Cola
Co., $l1,545, and Coco Steel
Products, Inc, 1892.
The commissioners efforts 10
get industry into the county.
however. has not outweighed
their respect for longstandinR
residential neighborhoods.
But additional low-cost hous-
ing developments are not wanted
In the county since they can
. not carry their own weight"
Mr.. Baggett said.
I Mr.. Kutsch noted that while
1t takes s248 a year TO educate
one child In county schools, IL
takes assessments on a S22. 900
home 70 pay that child's school
bill He discounted claims that
imposing levies on nontaxed
apartment dwellers would solve
the problem. explaining:
Apartment residents pay a
tax IN their monthly rental
bills. Surveys show these people
have very few children in
our schools. When youngsters