Evening star., 1962-04-14
RecordBudget
Approved for
Montgomery
$107 Million OKd;
Tax Rute Goes
Up 81 Cents


tax rate increase Of 81 cents
for each $100 assessed valua-
ton, was approved by the
Montgomery County Council
last night. The current budget
totals $90.1 million.
With debate on only one
minor point, the council un-
animously approved the 1962-63
budget, which will boost the
current tax rate of $2.53 to
$3.50.
Montgomery assesses real es-
tate at from so to IS per cent
of fair market value. This
means the tax on a $25,0 900
home will be raised about $50
a year.
The largest single increase
was SGT million for school
operating expenses. Most of
this will go for teachers pay
raises.
Besides the regular county
and school services-which are
more expensive this year be-
cause of automatic pay raises
and higher cost Of living-the
new budget will pay for about
$272 million worth of new con-
struction.
New capital items include a
start on a new junior college,
a county incinerator, an emer-
gency communications network
and fallout shelters.
S527,OOO Cut Made
To cover these costs, county
taxpayers will pay 81 cents for
each 500 assessed valuation to
operate county government, a
decrease of one cent from the
current budget; "a cents to pay
the school debt, an increase Of
5 cents; Z cents for school con-
struction, the same as this year;
and $2.18 to operate the
schools, an increase of 38 cents.
Council president David Ca
hoon said the legislators have
been screening budget requests
every night for the past three
weeks and succeeded in trim
ming about $527,O0O from oper-
ating requests made by the
school board. other areas of
the budget remained essentially
the same as requested by the
county manager.
Mr.. Cahoon said the most
important elements in the new
budget were the teacher pay
increases and the reduction in
the percentage of money the
county has to borrow for large
construction projects.
He said county funds will be
used to finance about one-third
of all capital projects next
year. putting less of a burden
on the county's debt and re-
ducing borrowing costs.
Public Safety Fund Up
Under the new budget, taxes
and State and Federal aid will
supply $50.4 million to run the
schools, SIG million to build
schools, an increase of $1.1 mil
lion over this year; $10.8 mil
lion for county construction, up
$6.2 million; SIG million for
welfare, up $225,0O0, and $50
million for public works, up
about $397,000.
The largest percentage in
crease went to the Department
of Public Safety which received
1922 ,632. an increase of more
than 100 per cent above the
current budget of $439,00O.
County Manager Mason
Butcher said all of this in
crease will be used to finance
modernized communications
system for the county police
and fire departments.
Other large construction
appropriations included S3.8|
million for new junior college
at Rockville, 81 million for
county civil defense shelters,
$2.9 million for East Wheaton
High School, $2.1 million for a
Potomac high school, and $5.4I
million for new county incin-
orator.
The new budget also allows
the county to decrease the
workweek of some employees
now working more than. As
hours weekly; to increase the
number of police, and to pur-
chase more books for county
libraries.