Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1962-08-02

move by the countyS official
planning body to restrict the
municipalities key planning and
coming functions.
While the Maryland-Nat
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission is combining its efforts
to forestallilV. future exercise of
annexation and planning powers
by officials of six local COM
munities, the PAS report goes
even further in suggesting curbs
on local governments.
PAS says flatly that
although the local jurisdic-
tons make up only Ia per
cent of the cOunty's pOpula-
ton they possess consider
able authority and potentially
could be and at times are par
ticularly disruptive of ration
al countrywide planning and
plan execution"
If the two incorporated cities
In the county Rockville and
Takoma Park are excluded,
there are left 10 towns and II
villages exercising home rule to
the detriment, PAS feels, of the
county and questionable benefit
of their residents, who comprise
less than three per cent of the
population.
Municipal expenditures Of the
10 towns, PAS points out, cur
rently m u n t to less than
100000, with revenues running
slightly over that figure.
at is clear that some Of the
municipalities continue to exist
merely because they are incorp-
Grated" says PAS, adding:
"They serve primarily as col
lectors of revenues, it being
necessary for them to accumu-
late funds over several years
until enough is secured to fl
nance a significant project, if
one is needed"
Most of them, PAS declares,
don't have enough of a tax base
to finance large project even
when there is the need. The
report cites the water system
desired by Poolesville as an
example.
For the money they get and
spend, PAS concludes, such
Jurisdictions provide only the
most rudimentary services and
none of them provides every
municipal function for its citi-
ZenS.
Maintenance of streets and
sidewalks most of which is
not up to county standards -
and refuse collection are the
major services provided by
most, PAS finds.
Only Takoma Park provides
its own library system, and
Rockville, Takoma Park, Cath
ersburg, Glen Echo and Chevy
Chase Village have local police
forces.
"It is clear that Montgomery
County provides far more per-
sons with local urban type
services than do the municipal
ties, and due to its much great
er financial base and basic or
ganization, can be more conSis-
tent in the exercise of a func-
ton over given period of
time" PAS declares.
One of its recommendations is
that local Jurisdictions provid-
ing inadequate services to its
residents might be brought into
the county's Suburban District
and relieved of providing such
services.
"The County as primary
prOvider of recreation, library
and police functions has al
lowed its position to be
eroded,' says the PAS report.
"This should not happen"
1t urges that Takoma Parks
rebate for libraries and police
service be withdrawn in favor
of extension of these services
by the county, and that the
exemptions of Rockville, Gath.
ersburg and Washington Grove
from the county recreation dis.
trict tax be ended with dissolu-
ton of the entire district.
Both Rockville and the Gath
Washington Grove COM
munities opposed their inclusion
in the recreation district last
year, arguing they provided
quality recreation programs for
their citizens.
PAS finds, however, that
exempting individual cOmmu-
mites "pIaces the county in
the position Of being unable to
insist upon reasonable per-
Torrance standards"
A flat recommendation against