Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-03-24
LEGISLATURE IS
UP TO ITS NECK
IN BILL WORK

Legislature literally up to its neck
in bills, the questions one hears fire.
guneltly in Annapolis and throughout
the State are: "How is Governor
O'Conor's program coming along :!
viii his proposed Reorganization OF
State Departments go through? What
about the many pledges he made dur
ing the primary and general election
campaigns? How are they being car
ried QUIZ"
Well, to quote another famous DEM
ocrat, Lets take look at the re-
cord Admittedly, the State was IN
drastic financial difficulties, when Gov
ernor O'Conor took over on January
IL. Like every other informed per-
SON, he knew this and he promised, if
elected, to do certain definite things to
correct this situation. In his inaug-
ural address, he aptly summed up his
thoughts on the matter when he de-
clared: "The most important problem
facing the administration is that of
placing the States finances on sound
and enduring foundation. We must
not live on borrowed money. There
Is no easy remedy. We must balance
our budget and maintain our credit"
He promised that relief expendi-
lures, instead of being pushed off on
future generations, would be included
IN his budget, that the States finances
would be put on a bona fide Pay-as-
you-go plan, and that he would shave
departmental costs $750,000. All
these pledges have been carried out to
the letter, in his tax levy plan which
undoubtedly will go through substan-
TALLY as presented to the Assembly.
At the same time he gave assurance
that there would be no additional taxes
ON real estate, no general sales tax
or gross receips tax, no licensing OF
gambling devices. A bill, sponsored
by the Governor and presented last
week, provides that the State tax rate
be kept at the present level, 1885
cents per hundred dollars; the tax
bill, now ready for final passage,
omits any mention of sales tax or
grossreceipts tax, and, while meas
ure to continue the licensing of pin
ball machines was introduced by a
member, it has not the Governors
sanction, and is not likely to pass. The
backbone of the Governors tax-rais-
ing plans was a graduated income tax.
However, as the voters turned this
down, a classified income tax meas
ure was substituted, and now prom
ises to raise. the greater share of need
ed extra funds.
Not content with having pledged
himself to complete reorganization
of the States Roads Commission on
q non-political basis, the Governor, as
one of the very first official acts of
his regime, made a study of current
State Roads operations, issued an exc
cutive order stopping certain prac-
tees that were unauthorized, and or
dered complete study of the almost
completed purchase of the old w. B.
and A Railroad right-of-way, thus
hating the purchase. In a measure
prepared along lines recommended by
the Bowman Commission, he proposed
abolition of the present three-man
board and substitution of one-man
control of the Roads activities. What
ever the outcome of pending State
Roads measures, action of the Cover
nor to date insures that he will watch
closely the functioning of the Roads
body, which in previous administra-
tons has frequently been given most
unfavorable publicity, and see that it
measures up to his required standards.
With regard to what he considered
another major sore spot in State ad-
ministration, Governor O'Conor had
this to say about the minor courts of
the State in his inaugural address:
"Candor requires the statement that
criticism and adverse comment con-
corning the minor courts have been
justifiable. The fee system by which
Justices of the Peace are compensat-
= has brought about many abuses.
The sooner we get rid of it the bet
tar lie further pledged that For
the Justices of the Peace in the Coun-
tee ! should substitute one or more
central courts in each county for the
Tial of such criminal and civil cases
- low go before the magistrates.
JUICES of such courts should be COM
pensated on a salary basis. At the
same time he promised anew a COM
plete reorganization of the Peoples
Court in Baltimore City, with view
to eliminating politics and reducing
court costs. All of these plans are
realized in the County Magistrates
and Peoples Court bills that will sure
a ~ =.