Evening star., 1943-03-29
Montgomery County
Federation Indorses
Six Assembly Bills
Committee Also Urges
Others Be Amended and
Hits Several Measures


Others Be Amended and
Hits Several Measures s
Six bills now pending before the
Maryland Assembly which affect the
welfare OF Montgomery County have
been indorsed by the County Civic
Federation's Executive and Advisory
Committee, 1t was reported to the
county delegation at Annapolis to-
day.
Several bills were recommended
for amendment and several met with
opposition. &.
House bill GAL, providing that the
Suburban Sanitary Commission in
stall ash, trash and garbage col
lection In the Metropolitan Area and
in such incorporated areas as may
desire it, that disposal at present
be made by sanitary fills and that
charges for such service be added
to the water bill, was favored.
Measures Favored.
Other bills approved included
House Bill 431 conferring power on
the Sanitary Commission to regulate
the construction and installation Of
gas fixtures, devices and connec-
tions and House Bill 21S, providing
the county commissioners be au-
thorized to use county equipment.
buildings and land and personnel
Tor war emergencies, together with
the authority to make necessary
charges therefor.
The committee approved the fol-
lowing bills as now amended and
recommended that the county COM
misSoners b authorized to adopt
the proper ordinances in connection
Herewith:
s. 427 providing for the regula-
tion OF the installation of fish ponds
as a safety measure.
S. 1872 providing regulations for
health inspection Of public eating
places, as rewritten for Montgomery
County.
They also approved H. 2l7, which
transfers jurisdiction of school prop
erty to the superintendent of schools,
but with the recommendation that
the bill be amended to make clear
the point that 1t is the county
school authorities and not the State
school authorities which are in
volved.
Several Bills Opposed.
Heading the list of bills disap-
proved was House bill 391, providing
for appointment, for two new assist
ant treasurers,, one for the Bethesda
area and one for Silver Spring, and
the hiring OF additional clerks for
these Offices.
This measure was opposed on
grounds Of economy. It was thought
that the sectional Offices were un-
necessary at this time and that the
expense involved would be too much
Of an additional burden on the tax
payers.
Incidentally, the Offices referred to
in the bill already have been set up
IN the two sections and manned by
special clerks.
Among other bills disapproved by
the committee were two measures
referring to the Suburban Sanitary
Commission.
A bill providing for the regulation
Of overhead poles by the commits
sion, which would be given. the
authority to make a charge to the
public. was disapproved on the
grounds that the bill is unnecessary,
since the commission already has
authority over the underground con-
duits and any conversion from over
head to underground would auto
matically be taken care of.
Sanitary Commission Bill Hit.
A bill which would increase the
salaries of all three members OF the
Sanitary Commission and would
change the manner Of their ap-
pointment was disapproved. in con-
formation with the federation's s
policy of home rule. The fedora
ton pointed out that appointment
Of the commission by the Governor
should be eliminated.
In another measure, providing for
enlarging Of the boundaries of the
Maryland National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and the ap-
pointment Of the commission by, the
Governor. the federation again de-
cided In favor of home rule. ''The
committee felt" it was explained,
that in the absence aof any expla-
nation as to the reason for removal
Of confirmatory powers BY the Board
Of County Commissioners, they are
opposed to amendments wlaereunder
the oonfirmatory powers are de-
leted."
Gasoline TAx Diversion.
In Its consideration Of . bin which
would divert . pert Of funds accum-
ulAted from gasoline taxes due to
the present low income from these
taxes. the committee reported that
Ill funds collected from gasoline
taxes should 60 to road inainte-
n4nce, since this would supply q
sum approximately 50 per cent Of
normal. It indorsed, however, q
proposed amendment to the bill
which would strike out ali language
permitting the use Of accumulated
gasoline tax funds for any other
We other than that for which the
funds were accrued.
Although the sco4amittee approves
II, MsA q .the oontunl 0f- diphfharta,