Evening star., 1947-03-11
Bill for Higher
.AutoFees Goes
To Gov. Lane
SIS Is Lieht-Cor Rote
In Measure Passing
Senate, "a to a
By J. B. Zotmon
Stor Stoff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. ia new
schedule of motor vehicle license
fees, designed to bring the State an
estimated 100000 in additional
revenue, is contained in a bill await
ing Gov. Lanes signature.
The measure was passed last night
by the Senate, which concurred ir
2e House amendments.
Most of the amendments dealt
with truck license fees while others
were intended to clarity the Ian
guage of the bill.
1 The measure would impose a fiat
SIS fee for passenger cars weighing
ub to 3,700 pounds and $23 for auto
mobiles weighing more than that
amount. Truck fees would be set
on sliding scale based on chassis
weight. The fee for motorcycles
and motor scooters would be s5.
AT present, the registration fee
is fixed on the basis of 80 cents per
horsepower unit. 1t was estimated
the tax cost averages around SO.
The new fees would Replace the
present horsepower basis of charges
and the personal proprty tax on au-
tomobiles.
S5 of Each SIS for County.
OF the proposed SIS fee for light
pleasure cars, IS would go to the
county and half of that to incorpo-
rated towns and special taxing areas.
OF the $23 fee for heavy passen-
ger cars, So would go to the county
and half of that amount to munich
palities and special taxing areas.
In a memorandum, Secretary of
State John B. Funk said the April
deadline for new tags probably will
be extended about so days to give
the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
sufficient time to issue licenses under
the new schedule.
Mr.. Funk said the revenue ex-
pected under the new method totals
$7,666. .197. an increase of $3,029,5
He added that chart prepared
by the State Tax Commission
showed that Montgomery County
would receive $255, 5,115.50 in auto
mobile taxes under the new system;
Prince Georges, $2OS, 1880; St.
Mary's, $10,822.60; Charles, $12 ,37O 20,
and Calvert, $9, ,2S0 80. These figures
he explained, are based on 1943 au-
tomobile assessments.
In that year, according to the
chart, Montgomery County received
$139,217.75; Prince Georges, $780,
278.9a; st. Mary'S, $5,524.30; Charles,
$5,445.S2, and Calvert, $5,562.55.
Senate Kills Phone Bill.
The Senate killed a measure de-
signed to give the Public Service
Commission power to regulate inter-
state telephone service so far as in
would be- permitted under Federal
statute, The chamber accepted an
unfavorabie report or its judiciary
Committee on the bill.
Oh The House side, Delegate Rob-
inson, Democrat, OF Baltimore was
the sponsor of a bill to speed up
legislative procedure. It. would re-
quire a constitutional amendment
to force legislators to get their bills
introduced within 20 days of the
end of the Assembly's session.
The Senate also adopted a favor
able report by Senator Roy Tasco
Davis, Republican, of Montgomery
County on a bill to set up a three
member civil. service commission in
the county, each of whom would
receive 5000 year. There is now
only one civil service commissioner
10 v. Morgan-who receives $4,000
year.
The measure has been amended by
Senator Davis to provide that Sena-
:, tor Morgan would be one of the
three appointees. Another amend
ment eliminates a provision that
county employees covered by the
merit system would be prohibited
from participating in politics.
The House passed and sent to the
Senate bill authorizing the Prince
Georges County Commissioners to
set up construction and maintenance
standards for all roads, except those
in incorporated towns.
Storm Sewer Bill Approved.
Another measure receiving House
approval would authorize the WASH
ington Suburban Sanitary Commis-
sion to determine where storm water
drainage systems are needed, while
a third would permit an increase
in the tax in Chevy Chase View,
Montgomery County, to maximum
of "a cents per S100.
The Montgomery County delega-
ton introduced eight bills in the
House, all dealing with Rockville.
Three other measures were submit
ted by the Prince Georges delega-
tion. The Rockville measures would !:
Allow the town to let contracts
for work or purchase supplies in
volving an expenditure of less than
$1,000 without bids.
Extend from 6 months to / year
the time during which a person
must be a resident of the town be-
fore being permitted to vote in
municipal elections.
Authorize the Mayor and Council
to license and regulate places of
amusement, roadside stands and
signs.
Empower the Mayor and Council
to borrow money for street i'm
provements, and to lay water mains
and sewers.
Authorize the Mayor and Council
to levy property taxes not to ex-
ceed 81 per 500 within the town
limits.
Provide for the licensing and regu-
lation Of carnivals within the town. S
limits. .
Allow the Mayor and Council to
issue bonds for any municipal pur-
poses provided the residents ap-
prove at referendum.
Permit the town to borrow up to
$180,000 to improve its water and
sewage systems.
Prince Georges Taxes Approved.
The three Prince Georges bills
would:
Authorize the county commits
sioners to levy special fire tax OF
10 cents per 500 on assessable prop
erty in the 9th, 18th, 18th and 20th
Election Districts to help support
volunteer fire departments In those