Montgomery County sentinel., 1944-09-21
F OR

For many years most citizens
have felt that there could be some
improvement in our county govern
ment. Many have agreed that the
best method to bring about i'm
provement was to adopt a Home
Rule Charter. A nonpartisan board
elected by the people in 1912, COM
posed of three up-county members
and .two-down county members,
drafted this charter. They labored
day and night for three months to
prepare what the county wanted
and with no cost to the people.
Literally hundreds of letters were
sent out TO many interested cit
izens and to all organized groups in
the county to ascertain what the
people wanted. Then, open hear
ings were held all over the county
on rough draft of the charter
with the result that the final char
ter on which the people will vote
in November includes not only the
Home Rule provision required by
the State Constitution, but other
features suggested by the people.
What does Home Rule mean?
Home Rule means deciding purely
local matters right here at home.
Within constitutional and statutory
limits we, the voters of Montgo-
merry County can adopt the kind
of county government we want.
The enactment of purely local laws
will be transferred from the State
House to our own Court House at
Rockville and will be passed upon
by y-the elected County Council in
stead of the entire State Legisla.
ture. In short, Home Rule means
local self government.
At present, laws are passed at
Annapolis with greatest secrecy.
Unless you want to take "trip to
Annapolis when the State Legisla-
ture is in session you never know
what is stpassed, and it is with great
difficulty that copies of proposed
laws are secured.
The Charter provides that copies
of any bill introduced in Legisla-
tive Session of the County Council
must be available to the public and
no bills shall be passed until five
days thereafter except by unanim-
Gus consent of all members pres
ent. To guard against hasty legis-
lation end afford the people of the
County adequate opportunity 70
express their will, no bill shall be-
come law until the fifteenth day
of June following the close of Le-
gislative Session. Prior to sucn
date, any person shall have the
right to petition the County Coun-
ell or on written application to
appear in person before it in
Executive Session and to
state his reasons why the bill shall
not become law. Prior to such
date the County Council in execu-
tive Session shall have the right
as the chief executive authority or
the County by the affirmative vote
of six members to veto the bill and
if vetoed the bill shall not become
law.
These provisions in the charter
certainly bring out in the open con-
templated legislation and keep the
public well informed about all le-
gislation.
On more than one occasion spe-
cial acts applying to Montgomery
County have been quietly "sneaked
through" the legislature during the
closing day of the session at Anna
polls, before the folks back home
other than machine politicians,
who cooked up the deal knew
what was up.
Home Rule will clear the docket
of the State Legislature. This mas
been stated very clearly in an edi-
torial Of the Baltimore Sun on
April Bird Of this year:
"The point has often been raised
that a change should be made il:
the setup under which the General
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