Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30
SHAPE NEW LAWS
/. FOR MONTGOMERY
Citizens and Legislators
Agree on Tentative Pro-
gram at Mass Meeting.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

special Dlspatch TO Inc star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, January ga
tentative program of legislation for
Montgomery County by the Legisla-
ture4 now in session at Annapolis was
ing in the courthouse here this after
noon.
The meeting, which was attended by
several hundred representative men
and women from all parts of the
county, was held at the instance of
State Senator Eugene Jones and the
county's representatives in the House
of Delegates, who adopted the plan as
a means of ascertaining the feeling of
the people Of the county regarding
legislation they had in mind, and while
the discussions, which were particl-
pated in by many of those present, de-
veloped differences of opinion as to
some of the proposals, the sentiment
seemed largely favorable to the entire
program suggested, and the county,
legislators are expected to govern
themselves accordingly.
Prominent in the deliberations was
Mai. f. Brooke Lee, Speaker of the
House of Delegates. The meeting
was conducted by State Senator Jones,
who at the outset submitted the pro-
posed legislative program. which IN
cludes authorization of bond issues for
road building, construction and en-
largement of public school buildings
and an addition to the Rockville
courthouse, an increase in the county
police force and the establishment of
suburban police stations on the Rock
nlnaU- l.
more State road, in addition to the one
at Rockville; financial assistance for
volunteer fire departments; centering
jurisdiction in police matters in the
county police force, leaving to the
sheriff's office the serving of civil
papers Of county courts; amendment
of county local option law, so as to
prohibit transportation of intoxicating
liquor in or through Montgomery
County; changing the game laws to
agree with recommendation of the
County Game Association, and, after
the school, road and courthouse bonds
have been provided for, and the fire
protection and increased police force
financed, If the finances of the county
will permit it, without too great an
increase in the county tax rate, pro-
vision for either the erection of a
new Jail or the undermining of the
present building.
New Districts Sought.
The program also provides for the
creation of two new county commits
sioner districts, one to consist of
Bethesda election district and the
other of Wheaton and Colesville dis.
! tricts. and the establishment of the
boundaries of the other five commits
sioner districts; increase of response
| bility, jurisdiction and taxing powers
| Of the Board of County Commission
| ers in those sections of Bethesda and
| Wheaton districts not now in incor-
| porated towns or special taxing areas
and authorizing the commissioners in
| the Bethesda and Wheaton districts to
build streets by SO per cent benefit
| tax and so per cent direct tax on
| those districts and to build sidewalks
and cutters entirely from benefit
| taxes.
| The program further provides for
| the creation Of Maryland parking
| and planning commission for Mont
gomery and Prince Georges Counties,
or for Montgomery County alone,
| along the same plan heretofore an
nounced and approved by the Mont
| gomery County Civic Federation and
many other organizations of the
county.
The elimination from the State
Board of Health of it's present appoint
ing power, having the governor name
| the Washington Suburban Sanitary
| Commission, subject to confirmation
| by the Board of County Commission
ers in the county in which appointee
| lives; providing a full-time chairman
| from one county and a full-time and
! part-time member of the commits
| sion from the other county, removal
| of tax records of the Sanitary. Com.
mission to the respective county
seats, equalization or limiting of the
| benefit taxes, and giving the proposed
| Parking and Planning Commission
jurisdiction to plan the permanent
road systems of the suburban sections
I of Montgomery and Prince Georges
counties, are also included In the pro.
posed legislation.