Evening star., 1946-12-28
0'Conor Signs
Racing Tax and
Extra Fund Bills
Emergency Measures
Passed by Six-Hour
Special Legislature
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Dec. 28.-By actor
taken at a six-hour special session
of the General Assembly, Maryland
has new set of racing revenue
laws today, pay raises to State EN-.
ployes will be continued and variou.
institutions will be supplied with
the extra funds needed to run then
through the current fiscal year.
The Legislature convened al
1890 pm. yesterday, and adjourned
sine die at 6 pm. The appropria.
tions and racing bills plus minor
measure were passed with little de-
bate. Gov. O'Conor signed them
into law one hour and 10 minutes
later.
The predicted floor debate on the
race tax bill between Baltimore
city representatives and county
legislators did not materialize and
the measure passed the Senate by
unanimous vote and the House by
an 1873 margin.
4 Per Cent Tax on Gross.
It establishes breakage at major
tracks at 10 cents, levies 4 per
cent tax on the gross betting pools
and obliges the mile tracks to pay
G. $1,000 daily license fee.
The General Assembly appropri-
.ted a total of $4,618,560 to con-
riuue salary increases and to meet
extra expenditures by State insti-
,utions because of the rising spiral
IF prices. The administration had
proposed originally that $3.937 $50
be appropriated.
The Legislature also appropriated
a25, 900 to meet the expenses of the
special session. Apparently the leg
,slators were determined not to ap-
.,ropriate too little money in this
,espect. The last one-day session
cost $6,823.
Under clause of the new racing
enactment, Baltimore city is faced
With the necessity of repeating before
January / a recent ordinance i'm
posing a S per cent municipal tax
on the gross betting at Pimlico or
losing it's share of the State turf
revenues.
Baltimoreans Vote.
Before the session, city officials
iaad termed the bill-a modification
If proposals contained in the Sher-
DOW report-"unacceptable," and
mad urged passage of bill adhering
strictly to the report.
All six Baltimore City Senators,
however, voted for the modification,
which was sponsored by the Legisla-
tive Council and had strong support
from Gov.-elect w. Preston Lane,
and only 3 of the SO Baltimore
members in the lower House dis
eented.
The clause making it necessary
Tor Baltimore to repeal its special
.ax on Pimlico or be left out of the
distribution of State revenues from
racing had been suggested by Mr..
Lane.
Because they were passed under
suspension of rules as emergency
measures, all three bills became law
when Gov. O'Conor signed them.
S1,592, 2,766 From Surplus.
The appropriations bill provided
1882, ,766 from the States surplus
TO continue increases in salaries
granted last September.
The Department. of Public We'll
fare was given a major portion OF
the remainder of the appropriation.
Benefciaries of last-minute amend
a1ents which added almost 100000
TO the outlay from surplus funds in
cluded:
The State Department of Health,
which was voted an additional $780,
GOO for its bureau of medical serv-
ices.
The University of Maryland, which
received an extra 100000 to take
care of a heavier load of general
expenses brought about by an al
most doubled enrolment.
The Department of Education's
public school equalization fund,
which was given 100000.
Study of Bonus Approved.
In signing the bills, Gov. O'Conor
complimented the General Assem-
bly, for acting "expeditiously and in
& business like manner"
The House of Delegates approved
unanimously resolution asking the
Legislative Council to study the pos
sibility of bonus for World War I
and II veterans.
The resolution by Delegate Will
liam c. Lehnert, Democrat repre-
senting Baltimore's 9Th district,
suggested a bonus for ''honorably
discharged members" of all forces
of both wars.
AS "token of esteem in which he
is held by the people of Maryland"
Gov. O'Conor yesterday was given
MS desk, bookcase and chair in the
Government House by concurrent
resolution, unanimously adopted in
the Senate and the House.