News (Newspaper) - February 26, 1976, Frederick, Maryland Vol 93 No 113 Press Run Today Frederick Maryland 21701 Thursday February 52 First Section City's high taxes snag elderly housing By MALIK Sun Writer Mayor Ranald N Young disclosed Wednesday night that the state Department of Economic and Community Development DECD has lately posed a question about the viability of the proposed elderly housing project for Frederick because of the high tax rate in the city Land Development Associates president Ken Roberts who is among the sponsors of the anticipated development to be located behind the Frederick Shopping Center said today that the DECD is considering the fact that taxes for the proposed building far exceeded the mean average of other projects throughout the State of Maryland Mayor Young made the disclosure at his TV interview with county commissioners on tax relationship between the county and its municipalities Land Development Associates President Roberts said tax rate in Frederick City is by far the highest among the U jurisdictions counties and municipalities in which we own properties in the state He emphasized however that the state has not expressed any opinion as yet on the issue The Roberts explained has been approved by the state and HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development for Frederick But he pointed out that as part of the final approval the developers are required to justify that the project is economically viable But the question he continued that has arisen as to the high tax rate of the city has put a black cloud over the final approval of the project The project has been undertaken by the CRC Development Corporation CRC official Ginsburg 1 Byrd however is optimistic that the plan can be started on schedule Ginsburg who is the development coordinator of CRC said today Hopefully we can proceed with the construction as soon as possible The main hurdle according to him has Continued On Page Bicentennial panel approves 000 in project loans grants The Frederick County Bicentennial Committee has approved in loans and grants to county projects but has delayed until Friday a request for for Bell ft History Days The committee has agreed to accept the Landmarks Foundation's Festival of Freedom activities for the third of July and the ceremony at the Hessian Barracks during Bell History Days as sponsored projects acceptance which involves financial commitment An initial loan of has been given the Landmarks Foundation to cover the immediate costs associated with their festival which will celebrate the birthday of the United States with fireworks and dancing in several locations More funds may become available from the committee for this project but no figures were set The committee also granted the Maryland School for the Deaf MSD f two-thirds of which will be used to help restore the interior of the Hessian Barracks through the construction of bunks and other appropriate furniture The other was granted for costs which will be incurred during ceremonies on June 27 when the museum of the barracks one of only two public attractions in the county will officially open A plaque will be presented that day by the to stand before the barracks and historical tableau scenes will be staged as one of the high paints of Bell ft History Days Various groups including the Frederick Towne Players will participate Monies were requested by Dr David Denton superintendent of MSD for costuming and to cover the cost of printing programs Again the money was granted by the committee with the assurance that more could be awarded Continued On Page City claims million yearly loss through tax inequities By M A MALIK Staff Writer The Board of County Commissioners Wednesday brushed aside claims from the mayors of Frederick and Thurmont for tax differential and larger shares of piggyback tax and revenues from alcohol beer tobacco and auto licenses Frederick city according to Mayor Ronald Young's calculations is losing over million every year to the county because of various tax inequities In a TV discussion at City Hall the five commissioners assisted by the county administrative assistant and comptroller refuted municipal officials plea for some concessions for the various services that county residents are said to have been enjoying at the expense of municipality taxpayers County Administrative Assistant James Bryan claimed rather than municipal taxpayers being treated unfairly it is the taxpayers residing outside a municipality who come up short Every municipality in Frederick County is in fact being subsidized by tax dollars generated by persons living outside of any municipal boundary Bryan presented a detailed report containing item by item analysis of tax and service equation in support of county officials argument that municipalities are receiving more than their due share of county services Mayor Young and Mayor James Black of Thurmont were far from convinced and stuck to their own data and reasoning to plead for an objective study of the issues The program was hosted by Frederick Cablevision executive George B Participating in the discussion Henry H Whaley legislative analyst of the Maryland General Assembly revealed that the state study has shown that Frederick City contributes 30 per cent of the county's piggyback tax but receives only G per cent in return He said a more even relationship between the city and county in this area can be worked out either by increasing the city's share of piggyback tax to the proportion of its contribution or by making the reimbursement to the city in subsequent years apportionment of revenues Frederick Whaley commented ranks very high in providing services among the 151 Cn Page New classroom space Construction on the new space at the North Frederick Elementary School ia expected to be completed by Nov 15 with the favorable weather during February the exterior walla have been completed structural steel bar joists and roof erected Some grading haa been done on the new parking lot on the north aide of the school and if the weather holds concrete for curb and gutter ia expected to be poured soon Clark and Chapman are the builders Photo by Amos L Democrats eye Massachusetts BOSTON AP Democrats running for president led by newly advanced frontrunner Jimmy Carter are turning their attention to Massachusetts and the second primary test of the election year The Bay State primary next Tuesday involves more Democrats and less Republican activity and new rules and a highly volatile issue ing The Democratic field in Massachusetts includes the five primary as well as three others Sen Henry M Jackson of Washington sylvania Gov Milton J Shapp and Alabama Gov George C Wallace Carter the former Georgia governor who polled 30 per cent of the vote to lead the field in New Hampshire predicted Wednesday he would win place or show in the second primary test Following Carter in the New Hampshire voting were Rep Morris K Udall of Arizona Sen Birch Bayh of Indiana Former Oklahoma Sen Fred Harris and Sargent Shriver the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 1972 The key stumbling block for Carter and the others could well be Wallace who chose to start his primary campaign in the only state that voted Democratic birds fleeing By ANN BURNSIDE LOVE A goodly portion of blackbird and starling population appears to have taken leave of the roost they've been calling home all winter Several of the local report fewer and fewer birds each evening during the last two weeks While no official count has been taken one estimator gave the opinion that possibly less than a third of the maximum one million population earlier this winter remain One theory is that the suddenly On i Vs in the presidential election four years ago Wallace already has devoted an extraordinary amount of time to Massachusetts Most others will spend a good part of the next five days here but Carter aides say their candidate has planned a bare four hours here bringing his total Massachusetts time to 85 hours Udall whose second place finish in New Hampshire led him to declare me candidate said Wednesday he believes Wallace could get 15 per cent of the vote in Massachusetts Other estimates have been higher in the race which could be won with 20 or 25 per cent President Ford is considered the heavy favorite on the Republican side in a lackluster contest with Ronald Reagan the former California governor who took 49 per cent to Ford's 51 per cent in New Hampshire Ford aides designated Reagan the phantom opponent because he lacks an official organization here But his television and radio advertising has reached both Massachusetts and New Reagan campaigning Wednesday in Illinois for the March 16 primary there released a financial statement putting his net worth at Construction protection offered new homeowners By ED WATERS JR Staff Writer A worry which always concerns new home buyers will soon be alleviated with the implementation of the Homeowners Warrant program HOW which is now available through local builders The program provides a written contract to both the builder and buyer providing protection from improper construction of the home The Frederick County Homebuilders Association a local affiliation of the National Association of Homebuilders was recently presented the details of the program by David Smith a Montgomery County builder The Suburban Maryland Homebuilders Association will presently handle the HOW program for Frederick County The Frederick group is a bit hesitant to take on the program themselves said Ms Susan J Matlick executive officer of Suburban Homebuilders When they feel they can handle the operation we will release jurisdiction to Walkersville drainage problems discussed PUD hearing March 15 The program begins when the home buyer moves in or during the closing of costs and both builder and buyer sign an agreement of rights and obligations The warranty backed by the American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida during the first two years is broken into three parts The first part covering the first year requires the builder to warrant all defects caused by faulty workmanship or materials The second part covering the second year continues to warrant against defective wiring plumbing heating cooling piping and ductwork and major structural defects The final section covering the home from three years to the 10th year covers major structural defects such as building on poorly compacted soil failure of beams joists walls lintels roof and structural members and other elements of the home's supporting structure I think it is a good plan because it protects the home buyer from bad builders There's nothing we hate more fhon p KpH MC to said Robert Hilton president of the Frederick Continued On Page Inside The News By WILLIAM E GRAFF AM Look what I Three-year-old enjoyed walk Wednesday with tor Donald high of TO D Peter MCM at what apM low WM recorded at 46 awl warn to tin ami through Friday Photo by AMM L WALKERSVILLE An unusual audience at the regular town meeting here Wednesday night learned that the controversial Grantham property planned urban development PUD extended hearing has been set for March IS Burgees Richard Wmn said the date had been set and that it would be held in the Fire Hall at p.m The exceptionally large sized audience that met for the town meeting Wednesday night obviously came to hear Stock advance NEW YORK AP stock market pushed ahead in continued heavy trading today edging to the stone in the Dow The Dow average of 3D blue chips up 1.02 in Wednesday's mixed market added another 1.42 to in the first half hour today Gainers took a lead over in the over-all count of New York Stock nun what consulting engineer Frank Rothenhoefer would have to say about the town's serious drainage problem The increasing interest in town meetings has arisen out of the concern of many residents over the effect that drainage from development of the Grantham property in town and other acreages outside the town would have on their own already burdensome surface water problems In brief advice to the town commission was that it had two main decisions to How much are you willing to spend for how much The engineer said that the ideal and the most costly would be a culvert capable of taking lite water from another Storm Agnes through the town that the most economical would be the development of sod swells through the natural channels of the town Rothenhoefer said that SO per cent of the survey work has been done and that it was already indicated that the major right of way with pipe box culverts sod swells and position of homes would cause a limit of capacity to storms He said that the town had a choice between a half million dollar piped system which he admitted could not take care of ground and basement water in all homes in the former low meadow lands all the way through the school property to Glade Creek or a partial piped system to Maryland Avenue in the town estimated cost or a system using gently graded swells of 15 to 20 feet in width to cost about a quarter as much In the later case it was indicated that one or two properties would have to be purchased or condemned and purchased One thing that Rothenhoefer emphasized was that in any event the town would have to pass a law giving it the power to set limits on all properties Continued On Page Md lottery BALTIMORE are he numbers drawn Wednesday in alette 423810 H game 11219 3495 Three-Digit Television HEARST described as politically naive A3 TWO Embassy officials released MIDEAST peace developments Classified Ads Comics Dear Editorials A4 Obituaries AS Sports State TV The Warm with considerable cloudiness today Highs in the 60s to near 70 Cloudy and mild tonight Lows upper 40s to the mid 50s Partial clearing and 4 II vl 4 rvv WO tO around 70 Words of Words are of course the most powerful drug used by mankind Rudyard Kipling English writer
