Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-22

Hearings TO Air
PrinceGeorges
RecordBudget
Commissioners
To Meet Monday
With Schools Chief

win SCHOOLS OhIef
IA proposed record $685. mil
lion Prince Georges County
budget next week goes under
ofacial scrutiny with the APP
prevail Of two public hearings
The county commissioners
viii launch their detailed study
Of the 1859 proposal by meet
ing Monday with School Supt
william S. Schmidt. The Board
Of Education's request of $l9.2
million is the largest single
item in the budget. Total de-
partmental requests are some
S. million more thar approved
last year.
At the close of yesterdays
two-hour budget hearing in
Hyattsville, the commissioners
gave no sign of altering their
previous pledge against an in
crease in the present tax rate
Of $2.10 per 500 assessed valu-
alton.
An increase of up to Accents
IN the tax would be necessary
to finance the overall proposed
budget. Final adoption by the
commissioners is expected by
March 81.
Audience Dwindles
Some 40 persons arrived for
yesterdays hearing, and the
number dwindled to nine by
the time comment had been
heard on the school. library.
recreation. hospital, health
and welfare budgets. Asking
for and receiving no further
questions on remaining por-
tons Of the budget, Commits
sioner Herbert w. Reichelt adj
journed the hearing.
While all department items
were Endorsed, the largest
amount of support went to the
library request of $491 ,148. plus
a $2.2 million 10-year capital
outlay program.
The budget request would
permit seven of the 10 branches
to maintain longer evening
hours, according to Miss Eliza
beth Hage, library director. The
10-year building program pro-
vides for three regional libraries
and four branches.
Sites for the regional build
ings have not been pin-pointed,
but they would be generally in
the Chillum. Spauling and
Bladensburg No. 2 voting dis
tricts.
Merged Under County
Under the proposed library
budget, the county system
would take over all branches of
which many now are housed in
overcrowded quarters provided
by municipalities. Supporting
the library request were the
League of Women Voters. the
Adelphi Citizens Association.
Park and several other civic
the Progress Club of College
groups.
Brinley j. Lewis, chairman
of the school finance commit
tee of the County Council of
Parent-Teacher Associations,
said a taxpayer with a house
marketable at $4,000 would
have to pay about 81 per month
extra to finance the proposed
school budget.
Walter F. Mulligan. ST., presi-
dent of the Prince Georges Civic
Federation, said his group feels
the police department should
have II instead of the IL ad-
ditional men requested in the
Sill million budget. The extra
six positions should be- formed
into a juvenile squad. he said.
Mr.. Mulligan, noting final
budget figures we're not avail
able until March 13. said his
association did not have time
for mature study of the pro-
posal.
Limited Personnel
Carl Mace, county controller,
said later part of the delay can
be attributed to the lack Of his
office personnel who tabulate
department figures. Three per-
sons are assigned off and on to
budget work and the Office can
not handle more than of a
space shortage, he said.
Also delaying the budgets
preparation was the wait on
Maryland Assembly action on
measures affecting school and
health department financing
Mr.. Mace said. He explained a
March 81 adoption date has
been set to enable the UNDER
stated treasurer's Office to
prepare tax bills and get them
In the mail by the middle of
June.
The county will need $464, 900
Of this tax money to make a
July is payment on debt serv-
ice, Mr.. Mace said.
Space shortages in both the
controller and treasurer's Offices
is expected to be improved with
the completion next year of
the courthouse addition in
Upper Marlboro.