Evening star., 1933-01-01
STORMY ASSEMBLY
SESSION EXPECTED
Maryland House and Senate
to Open 90 Day Meeting
Wednesday.
BY GEORGE PORTER,
STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, December ST.
With economy as their watchword,
members of the Maryland Senate and
House of Delegates will assemble in the
State House at noon Wednesday for q
9o-day biennial session that is expected
to develop into one of the busiest and
stormiest in the history Of the State.
Before the session ends in April
many major changes are expected to
have been written on the statute books
of the State. Moved by the distres8 they
have witnessed during the past two
years. and knowing they will have to
face an accounting before the voters If
they want to return to their seats wnen
the next Assembly convenes, the legls-
lators are determined to do everything
possible through lawmaking TO guioe
Maryland on the path to prosperity.
The ingenuity Of many minds Will
produce many conflicting schemes to
lower taxes and tap new sources Oh
revenue. Several have already been ad-
vanced and have the backing OF vari-
ous organizations
Among the most important will be
the State administrations program, the
features of which will not be fully
known until Gov. Ritchie delivers his
message at the opening of the As
sembly.
Message Is Awaited.
For this reason the executives mes-
age is awaited with more than usual
interest. 1t is certain to embody defi-
mite economy program, involving roadS
and schools and lower real estate taxes,
but what new source of taxation viii De
recommended is still matter OF spscu-.
lation.
Gov. Ritchie is reported TO be in
clined to discount the feasibility OF Lne
State Tax Commissions recommends
ton that s3 500, 600 be raised through
10 per cent tax on race track winnings.
II Is anticipated that he viii recon-,
mend some form of a luxury tax.
Refund of a portion Of the gasoline
tax 10 the counties for the upkeep OF
county roads, provided these tnorougn-
fares are turned over to the State; re-
duction of the equalization fee rate for
county schools from 81 to 40 cents, ana
a refund of a portion Of the business
license fees to the counties, were the
principal items recommended by tne.
Covernor'3 commission and viii undoupt"
edly be the chief projects tnrouah.
which the legislators expect TO prlng
tax relief to the counties. The manner
of putting these proposals into enect,
however, will unquestionably become the
subject of much debate.
In addition to their interest IN these
items. the representatives OF Montgom-
erv and Prince Georges Counties race
several other legislative problems tnat
must be settled within the next three
months.
Chief among them in Prince Georges.
"a the question of changing the county
Iin,Ior law and authorizing referen-
dim ON Sunday movies in certain sec.
tions.
Bills designed to prevent speculation.
on the Baltimore tobacco market VIII,
be sponsored by some OF the Prince
Georges legislators. They may intro
duce measures making written appeals
unnecessary in traffic appeal cases. put
ting "teeth" in the law against the use
of smoke screens in automobiles, glv-
ing the county share OF the pron2
from the charity racing days at Mary
lands tracks, making 1t Illegal to keep
a vicious dog, and giving police author
ity over the Hyattsville lookup.
Althsugh they may not have any d.
rect connection with 1t, the countys
delegates will be- keenly interested N
any legislation which may be presented
for the purpose of eliminating compul-
sorry military training at the University
of Maryland.
Montgomery's legislative program 10
vet to be formulated. 1t viii, accorolng
to reports, contain few, perhaps no bono
issues, such as have been prominent
in the laws enacted by the county's DEL
egation In former years.