Montgomery County sentinel., 1937-04-15

Legislators OF Maryland will
gather early next week in a special
session at Annapolis to consider a
new program to raise relief revenue
taxes. Governor Harry w. Nice,
who announced a pocket veto of the
original bill passed at the regular
session of the General Assembly,
says he will present new revenue
plan calculated to raise at least
| Sc, 100000.
While the Governor refused to
make known any details regarding
his proposal, he will recommend, that
the Legislature adopt the new meas
ure which has not yet been spre-
pared. g
Meanwhile there are rumblings
from every section of the State.
There are those who believe that the
regular. session, in passing the relief
bill (including an unpopular book
making rider), amply took care of
the situation in view of the hurried
need for relief legislation. Others
indorse special session, principally
because they refuse to condone
licensed gambling in the State. Many
are attacking Governor Nice for his
apparent neglect in first suggesting
boolmaking, permitting it to come
to a vote and then reversing his
earlier position. There are a num-
Der of Senators and Delegates who
blame this legislative fiasco on the
furore editiorially raised by The Bal
timore Sun,
j Senator Joseph L. Donovan, of
Howard County, heading the Judi
ciary Committee, when asked whether
or not he considered a special ses-
sion necessary, stated that he could
not see the logic or reason of such
procedure. II voted for the BILL"
J he said, "and while I know it's far
from perfect, I am not ashamed of
it. The Baltimore Sun is response
ble for all this furore although it
hasn't been long since they urged
just what we did. I think they
should give the law, as passed at
the regular session, chance"
State Senator Stedman Prescott,
of Montgomery County, leading
figure at Annapolis, said yesterday
he regarded the whole matter as
unfortunate" He accused Governor
Nice OF reversing his prior stand on
the relief bill and added that "a
suitable bill can be passed if the
members Of the Assembly will just
get together and forget politics"
i The two principal reasons cited by
Governor Nice for his proposed
pocket veto of the relief tax bill pass
ed by the Assembly just before it ad-
journed last week were his deter
mination to kill legalized bookmaking
and the fact that the estimated rev.
enue from the measure would fall
far short of the requirements as
established by welfare officials.
Bookmaking and the legalization
of so-called pinball machines-also
considered in the Governors objec-
tions to the present bill-were esti-
mated to produce about 100000.
To make up the difference between
the loss of this and what welfare
officials say is necessary above what
the Legislature provided, an addition
to the State tax rate has been sug-
gested.
j Merchants and business men in
the border counties (those adjacent
to Washington, Baltimore and the
State Of Pennsylvania), are indig-
nant over any suggestion for q sales
tax. They would prefer direct
real estate tax. On the other hand.
the farmers oppose a real estate tar.
The Maryland Farm Bureau, partic-
ularly, burns up when anyone mem
tions real estate tax.
There are any number Of conjec-
lures. as to what type Of revenue
bill viii be suggested by the Gov
ernor. The general consensus Of