Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-22

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capital improvement budget.
The recommendation came as
surprise inasmuch as a tax
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Airport, New Buildings. in Montgomery
/ Budget. Poee AIS
increase had been generally an
ticipated.
Last year Mr.. Reese submitted
a hold the-tax-rate" budget.
but the council restored some Of
the budget requests he had
slashed, forcing a 10-cent tax
rate boost.
Mr.. Reese Topped $1,441,755 of
requests of county department
heads and school officials for
operating expenses for the fiscal
year beginning July /.
At the same time he slashed
1 $5.1 million off requests for cap
ital improvements including $3.1
million off the $11.3 million re-
quested for new schools.
Indicated Increase
/ Several weeks ago Mr.. Reese
had indicated the tax rate would
have to be increased 1875 cents
if the county were to meet the
requests of department heads
and school officials.
The total operating budget
recommended was $30.7 million
compared with a request of 1921
million.
The biggest slash was made
in the S178 million requested
for operation of the schools. Mr..
Reese cut this amount to $16.6
million.
The recommended budget will
now be the subject of public
, hearings on June IL. IL and 10.
, It is subject to consideration by
the county council, but it re-
/ quires at least five of the seven
votes on the council to increase
! any item.
! The $203 tax rate will produce
/ next year an estimated $17.1
: million, some $2.4 million mors
:, than it is bringing in this year.
$685. Million Base
A sharp increase of $117.3
, million in the county's assessable
base. raising it to an estimated
$S68.9 million. provides the in
Icreased return.
: Much of this base increase re-
suits from a reassessment pro-
gram in the county, Mr.. Reese
said. Property owners, whose as
sessment went up, will get q
: bigger tax bill despite the hold
the-line recommendation.
The county manager also rec
commended that STA million of
surplus be used in the budget,
with 100000 of it being applied
to help finance the school board
lday-to-day operations. The rest
would be tabled for capital
Improvements.
He also noted that his recon-
mended tax rate would include
ii cents TO step up the countys
Ipay-as-you-go plan for capital
improvements. Only 6 cents was
used this year.
Included in sources of revenue
is $450,000 from the 2-cent-a-
pack cigarette tax now under
, consideration by the county
council.
Urges Other Sources
] Mr.. Reese recommended that
the county continue its efforts to
lobtain other sources Of revenue
to relieve the burden of home
owners. He also urged Continu-
ance of work at the Maryland
Legislature to equalize assess
ments throughout the State and
TO improve the county's position
in the distribution of State
funds.
MI. Reese cut sharply into re-
quests of the county Health
: Department. slashing ssh 900 off
the $7l8,288 requested. He said
! the department had sought to
make up Tor funds lost in a
revision of the State Health De-
partment's distribution formula.
A big increase was allotted for
the Department of Public Safety,
where expenses jumped S450, 900
TO Sic million.
Mr.. Reese provided funds for
40 new policemen to bring the
force up to 233 men. Ibis will
permit establishment of a "A
hour work week (now 48) and
increase the number OF motor
cycle policemen on the road.
The budget contemplates a 4
per cent salary increase for all
county employees and school
teachers.
Mr.. Reese refused to recon-
mend funds to implement the
school boards proposed new SAL
airy schedule for teachers.
4 A $400-a-year across-the- hoard
increase is provided in the salary
scale adopted by the school board.
THE costs of the educational
system and the other functions
Of the county government must
De kept within scope of the abil-
Ity of the taxpayers to bear the
burden Of raising the required
revenue" Mr.. Reese said.
4 Mr.. Reese left intact the Board
of Education requests for funds
10 create six new top adminis-
tratiYe posts in the school sys-
TEN, as recommended by the
Mckinney report on school Op-