Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-01-05
Governor Proposes
Tax Reduction In
Assembly Message
Recommends Commodity Tax
AS Source OF Relief-State
Tax To Be Reduced

Ill his luCSSdSS w Lie GeuGIdl
Assembly of Maryland at Annapolis
Wednesday Afternoon Governor Richie
made numerous recommendations that
are aimed to tighten the tax burden.
In balancing the budget for 1884
and 1885 the Governor stated with no
new or increased taxes, and on the
basis of existing treasury resources
and 1882 general treasury receipts, it
will be necessary to make consider
able reductions in departmental and
institutional appropriations. The new
budget provides for 10 per cent con-
tribution to the State treasury from
the salaries of State officers and en-
ployees. The Governor added he will
make his contribution of 10 per cent
of his annual salary and will also con.
tribute 10 per cent of the appropriaL
ton for Mansion maintenance.
The State tax rate is now 25 cents
and Governor Richie submitted
recommendations for a reduction Of
three cents.
In addition to a discussion of some
of the more important activities and
projects of the State government, the
Governors message contained the fol
lowing:
1. The Budgets for 1884 md 1896
are balanced on the basis oI current
income and resources, and without in
creased taxes or new sources of rev.
enue.
2. The State tax rate is reduced
from 25 cents to % cents.
3. Recommendations are made
which, if adopted, will reduce or elm
mate county levies for road purposes
A. 1t is recommended that Balti-
more City's share in the 2 cent gaso-
line tax for maintenance and recon
struction and in the motor vehicle
license receipts be increased from &c
per cent to 80 per cent, yielding adj
ditional annual estimated revenues ia
the city of $728,522 for 1884 and
$767, 707 for 1885, which is equivalent
to z cents or more on the city tax
rate.
5. The minimum county levies re.
quired for school purposes are reduced
for the Equalization Fund counties
from 81 cents to 60 cents, without any
new sources of revenue, and counties
not sharing in the Equalization Func
are enabled to secure like reduction
for themselves.
6. Further tax relief cannot bt
secured without additional sources Of
revenue, and special commodity taxes
are suggested for this purpose. The
revenues from these taxes are not t.
be used for governmental purposes al
all, but only to Tighten the burden Of
direct taxes on real estate and tangi.
Bile personal property, by transferring
part of this burden to new sources Of
revenue which are better able to stanC
it.
z. 1t is recommended that these
additional revenues be divided equally
between Baltimore City and the coun.
ties, and that the half going to the
counties be allotted to them on the
basis of population, and for the sole
purpose of reducing county direct
taxes, preferably school levies.
8. A State loan to relieve Balti.
more City in respect to the city's re.
lief expenditures for 1892 and 1888 is
recommended, the carrying charges tc
be deducted by the State from Balti.
more's half of the revenues derived
from the proposed commodity taxes
thus imposing no debt on Baltimore
which might necessitate vote of the
people, no charge on the counties and
no increase in the State tax rate; the
remainder of Baltimore's half of these
additional revenues to be paid to the
city for tax relief for its people.
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