Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-05

Offered Budget
OF $50 Million
BY G. O. HERNDoN

BY G. o. HERNDON
A total budget proposal Of
SIS. SS9,3l2 for the operation Of
Montgomery County govern
mental departments and schools
was submitted to the County
Council yesterday by County
Manager Melvin L. Reese.
The budget recommendation,
which includes a $12.9 million
School Board request for new
school construction, would be
financed BY q 7 cent increase
in the county real estate tax,
bringing the basic residential
rate per 500 Of assessed valu-
alton to $2.22.
In his letter accompanying
the budget, Mr.. Reese noted
that. during the fiscal year
beginning July /, the county's
assessahle base for the first
time in county history will ex-
coed 81 billion.
The budget is an $0.1 million
increase over this years appro-
priation.
Council must adopt a budget
by April Is. Public hearings
have been set for March 26.
81 and %.
Mr.. Reese recommended
spending SLOT million for all
county functions other than
schools. debt service and opera
tons financed by sources out
side the general and restricted
county fund. He said a tax
rate of 30 cents per 500 would
finance this sum.
Decrease Of Cent
The 29-cent rate represents
q decrease of ! cent over the
current rate for the same pur-
pose.
The tax rate for schools, the
manager said, would rise eight
cents from $1.41 to $1.49. The
entire school budget came to
Sc per cent of the total as
compared to So per cent in the
current year.
The County Board Of Educa-
ton requested over $13.1 mil
lion for school construction.
This amount was reduced by
the county manager to $12,-
987, 643-a $150,000 reduction
which eliminated a school re-
quest for funds to initiate
planning and site acquisition
for q new school administra-
ton building.
The School Boards operat-
ing budget request of $26.3 mil
lion was trimmed by only
Sis, 900. This decrease in
cluded $4,000 for a $500 pay
raise for teachers at the top of
the pay scale, $22. 900 for a
curriculum evaluation program
and $12.000-a reduction from
$25, 900 to $13,000-of an item
for a filmed physics course.
Urges Savings on Film
The manager recommended
that an educational film on
physics be obtained for $4,000
in black-and-white instead Of
the proposed $25. 900, which is
is the cost Of the film in tech
nicolor.
The total school operating
budget urged by Mr.. Reese
would be 26.280,000. OF this
sum. 1854 million would be pro-
vided by county funds.
The manager proposed a
county government capital
construction program for 1883
totaling S2,968, 900. OF this fig
ure, only $762.825 is designated
as q new appropriation for
projects already pending.
In addition, $685.. 900 is ear
marked for four new projects
a public works maintenance
depot. $144.500; purchase Of
the Rockville telephone build
ing, 5000; a county detention
facility on the county poor
farm property, 1927, 500. and 9
police substation in the
Wheaton area. $4,000.
Office Building Cut
Already appropriated funds
for new county Office buildings
IN silver spring ana beJneSua
were cut in the budget from
$1,450,00O to 100000. The re-
naming $l,350.000 was reallo-
Gated toward a 50 million Rock
vile courthouse addition. This
proposal envisages the CONSOLE
dalton Of the Peoples Courts in
Bethesda, Silver Spring and
Takoma Park into an expanded
Rockville court.
Pending projects slated fol
1859 construction included
A total Of $l,9l7, 500-for the
courthouse addition; $48, 900
Silver Spring county building;
$4,000 -. Bethesda county
Building; $500 - volunteer
, firemen training center: S107,'
: 500-site acquisitions for a fu,
; ture central library at Rock.
: vile; Standardization library
! and oe,260-daithers Il
brary