Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-01-08

c HOULD property owners in the rural
y part of Montgomery County be required
to pay tax for parks? 1t wouldn't seem to
make much sense.
The primary purpose of a park is to
make available the beauties of nature to an
urban population. The joys of spotting a
robins nest, smelling good clean air and
looking out across gently rolling hills are no
stranger to upper county residents.
Most Importantly, many farmers are
hard pressed to pay taxes which are growing
more suburban - than rural = in character
every year. Already there is movement
on the part of farmers to head for more rural
counties where taxes can be paid without
too much distress out of low farm income
At the same time, there are the real
estate spectators who are sitting on large
tracts of rural land ready to make a killing
as the city moves closer and closer. Few
would shed tears if they had to pay park
tax.
AS we understand it, the Maryland-Na-
tional Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion has proposed that its park district be
enlarged although it has refused to be
specific about how much of an enlargement
should be approved. This is sort of admins
trative action for which the agency was
created yet it is providing no leadership in
this important matter. AS things now stand,
the legislative delegation, apparently, is
going to have to make decision on whether
certain areas, small or large, or the entire
upper county is going to be taken into the
park district - and taxing - area
If the farmers and homeowners in the
countys rural area accept the proposal to
take in the entire county as park - and
taxing - area, even though such a tax is
only five cents for each $500 of valuation, it
would be rather amazing Those who have
little = or nothing - to gain would be sac
rificing for future generations. And such a
gesture on the part of many, however noble,
would be little foolish.
While it is perfectly true that the city
is making rapid strides toward the country,
it is equally true that many, many years will
elapse before there is any need for park in
the areas around Poolesville, or Darnestown,
Clarksburg or Damascus.
And yet parks are a virtual necessity in
an urban society. And if they are to be ac-
quired, it would seem sensible to start buying
them now while the price of land is still
reasonable. Accordingly, it would appear
that compromise program should be
worked out. Why not expand the park dis
trict and the park program on small scale
without going whole hog? Some funds raised
by the existing park tax on suburban resi-
dents could be used for the purpose on the
grounds that it is the suburban - not the
rural = residents who need parks.
Also, there is the possibility of tapping
general funds for the purpose. Precedent
was set by the County Council when it ap-
propriated 81, $4,000 recently for park pur-
poses. The entire county does have stake
in acquisition of park land and it is fitting
and proper that proceeds derived from the
basic county tax rate should be used for this
purpose.
Meanwhile, however, the poor farmer in
Darnestown who has about as much use for
public park as he does hole in the head
should be spared = for awhile longer