Evening star., 1937-04-24
MARYLAND FACES
BEER TAX BOOST
House Committee Giving
Serious Consideration to
Plan for Increase.
BY JACK ALLEN,
Cfa ~ TnrYaennn SArf - rhn dt.r

otau correspondent OF The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, April 24-A substan-
tial increase in the tax on beer is
being given serious consideration by
the House Ways and Means Commit
tee as means Of raising a portion of
the revenue required for welfare pur-
poses.
1t was learned the committee stands
virtually agreed TO recommend a
boost in the tax. which is rs cents per
barrel at present, when 1t submits a
report Of It's deliberations upon relief
legislation.
Prolonged study was given the ques-
ton yesterday afternoon before mem
bers Of the fiscal group left Annapolis
to join their colleagues OF the State
Assembly in week end recess
holiday that came but Is hours after
the special session convened.
A regular parade Of individuals and
delegations interested in the relief
problem is looked for when the SEN
ate and House come back on Monday
night to resume their task of forrnu-
lating program for social security
and unemployment relief.
Issue Joint Statement.
Senator ]. Allan Coad Of st. Marys
County, chairman Of the Senate
Finance Committee, and Delegate
Kent r. Mullikin Of Prince Georges
County, head Of the House Ways and
Means Committee, issued joint
statement yesterday after meetings OF
their groups.
The committees. the statement
read, desire to give every opportunity
for a thorough consideration of Gov.
Nice's relief program. The commit
tees would appreciate those interested
in the relief problem making their
views known as early in the week as
possible"
Senator Coad said his unit had
heard few persons interested in the
cosmetics tax yesterday afternoon, but
otherwise had merely discussed
matters generally" The Ways and
Means Committee talked O. the beer
tax increase and heard Gov Nice at
lacked again py some OF us members
Statement of Nice.
"Astonishment was expressed" one
member said today, at the statement
by the Governor In which he comedies
the defeat OF the gross receipts tax he
recommended in his message before
the opening session Thursday.
The admission by the Governor
was interpreted to mean he no longer
advocates the gross receipts levy. His
habit Of advocating tax one day and
abandoning it the next has been
attacked in the committee room before
and was attacked again yesterday"
The statement referred to was issued
by the Governor shortly before noon
yesterday, when he admitted the OTIS
per cent gross receipts tax which fea-
lures his relief program is fated to die
1t was vigorously assailed by hundreds
of merchants during hearing
Thursday.
A study of four new relief bills that
were introduced during brief sessions
of the House and Senate yesterday will
be launched by the fiscal committees
when they return next week.
One Of these calls for l0-cent in
crease in the present cents per gallon
excise tax imposed on whisky anc
other spirits distilled for beverage pur.
poses. It was introduced by Delegate.
Robert L. Glenn and Perry A. Twigs
of Allegany County.
Proposes Consumer Tax.
Delegate James H. Broumel of Har.
ford County offered a bill to impose
tax of 10 per cent on the gross sales
of gas and electricity. The tax woulc
be paid by the consumer and would net
approximately $l,200,0o0, Broume
said.
Senator Wilmer F. Davis OF Caro-
line County introduced two bills tt
allow cities with populations Of 100,.
900 or more and the commissioner
boards Of the various counties to levy
any tax they desired for local relief
work.
Davis said 1t is his plan 70 permit the
various political subdivisions Of the
State to raise their own funds for d.
rect relief and have the State take
care Of old-age pensioners, dependent
children and the needy blind.
He said he would prepare another
bill under which the State could raise
between 100000 and s5,ooo,o 900 an
nually for the latter purposes.