Evening star., 1937-02-25
SPEED ON BUDGET
IS SASSEMBLY HOPE
But All Indications Point to
Usual laSt.Minute lam
Legislature.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, February 25.-
Leaders of the Maryland Legislature
let it be known today they wished the
money-handling committees would
speed up budget deliberations to bring
that all-important measure onto the
floor and avert last-month legisla-
tive jam.
No leader would be quoted directly
on his wishes in that respect. How
ever, the committees have had the
budget since January rs and leading
members of the Finance Committee
said they thought it should be report
ed to the floor ''as soon as possible"
Just when 1t will reach the floor is
not known. Senator ]. Allan Coad,
Democrat. of st. Marys, Finance
chairman, and Delegate Kent r. Null
likin, Democrat, of Prince Georges.
Ways and Means chairman, declined
to make any prophecies.
Relief Chief Problem.
Indications are the budget will not
be reported from committee until the
latter part of next week or the first
part of the following week. If that
Is the case. the Legislature will not
be able to get around to the mass of
other important legislation until less
than three weeks of the session re-
mains.
Chief among those problems is that
Of relief The Board of State Aid
and Charities has asked that the State
provide $l6,000,000 for the 30-month
period beginning April l. The Legis-
lature took whole month last March
to decide what to do about relief for
II months only.
At least one member of the FL
nance Committee has broached-
behind closed doors-the suggestion
that the budget be held in committee
until the relief program can be worked
ou. and both reported at the same
time as one general State financial
program. II that suggestion Is fol-
lowed. the budget will not reach the
, floor for days.
Present Levies Expire in March.
The relief program will, of neces-
/ sity, include taxation to raise any
amount 10 be granted for that pur-
pose. Present relief taxes on beer
whisky, automobile fittings, cos
metics, amusements and increased
corporation franchise levies expire
Marcn 81.
So far in their month of delibera-
ton, neither committee has taken
definite action on any one item or
point. At least the chairmen decline
to reveal any action officially. saying
that any action taken to date is
purely tentative"
Authoritative sources report. how
ever, that the committee action could
be described as the cutting Of all
the gravy out of Harry Nice's bud
get" Those same sources reported
that much of the cuts came from
elimination of ALLEGATIONS made for
the cushion fund" given the Board
Of Public Works by the 1885 Legis-
lature.
S230.000 Cut Reported.
It was reported last night that the
Senate Finance Committee had made
cuts approximating $4,000 yearly
without consideration of any changes
in salaries or without considering the
University Of Maryland and the State
Roads Commission from a standpoint
of cutting their appropriations 1t is
| not known Just when the committees
plan to apply any ax-if at ALTO
those two departments.
Reports last night were that the
Finance Committee had cut 1000
yearly from the amount asked by the
Conservation Commission for propa-
CATION Of oysters The commission
asked $l25.0O0 yearly. as compared
with 100000 allotted for the two
previous years.
One Of the chief stumbling stones in
the way of an early report by the
committees is a definite policy on
restoration of the 1885 Salary reduce
tions. Some sources, said the COM
/ mittees. were holding that policy max
ing until the last possible minute when
it would be possible to see exactly the
total cut from the budget.
When that total is before the COM
mittee, it will be possible for those
groups to know exactly how much, If
any, revenue would be needed to grant
full restorati0ns Full restorations
would require approximately $475,000
yearly over the budget as submitted
by the Governor.