Evening star., 1947-02-22
g. 0. P. Backing
Given Maryland
School Program
II Senators Pledge
Support to a Bills, *
Making q Majority
By q s.aff Correspondent Of The s.or

BY q Sfoff Correspondent Of The Stur
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 22.-Senate
of the program proposed
oy the State Department of Educa-
ion appears assured.
This became evident yesterday
when the II Republican Senators
introduced a resolution pledging
heir unanimous support" to four
bills submitted Thursday by four
Democratic Senators, including L.
Harold Sothoron, Democrat, Prince
Georges County. majority floor lead
Pr. Fifteen votes is a majority.
The measures would establish a
minimum yearly salary of $4,000 for
teachers, reduce the size of classes,
Increase school supervisory and at
tendance service and make available
State funds for school construction.
Cite DR.. Pullen.
In expressing appreciation to the
sponsors of the bills for introducing
them, the resolution asserted:
Resolved. that the Republican
members of the Maryland Senate do
hereby offer their whole-hearted
assistance and pledge our unani-
nous support to the three-star pro-
gram as submitted by DR.. Thomas
G. Pullen and Tasker F. Lowndes"
DR.. Pullen is the State superin-
tendent of schools and Mr.. Lowndes
is president of the State Board of
In the House, the Montgomery
County delegation introduced bill
the county commission
ers to issue a maximum of $l,970,500
in bonds to refund existing county
obligations.
R. Duncan Clark, member of
the all-Republican delegation, said
u bond issues come due within the
next two years. He could not
estimate the total funds involved.
Another delegation bill would ex-
tend the boundaries of the Mary
land Washington regional district in
and Prince Georges
Counties.
Confer Monday at Rockville.
Delegation Chairman Anders r.
Lofstrand announced his group will
meet with the Montgomery County
Commissioners at noon Monday in
the Rockville courthouse to discuss
proposed legislation desired by the
commissioners.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Clark revealed he
is drafting legislation in conjunction
with Thomas j. McKewen, jr, Demo-
crat, Of the second Baltimore district
to provide for tax on soft drinks
in the State.
He expressed the hope that such a
levy, together with some of the tax
recommendations of a minority Of
the Board of Revenue Estimates,
would eliminate the necessity of a
sales tax and provide enough revenue
to balance the State budget for the
next two years.
Revenue Not Determined.
The Montgomery delegation said
the amount of tax had not yet been
determined, pending figures on the
total' soft drink sales in the State.
The minority report of the Board
Of Revenue Estimates recommended
an increase in the State income tax
from 2 to per cent, an increase in
the corporation tax from IL to 4
per cent, a jump in the distilled
spirits tax from $125 to SITS per
gallon, 1-cent taxes on the sale of
cigarettes and cigars, 15-cent per
pound tax on smoking tobacco and
a 10 per cent tax on amusements.
The group also proposed a 1-cent
consumers beer tax on each 12-ounce
container, to become effective July /,
1949.
Leroy Frederick, Democrat, of the
9Th Baltimore district came up with
an idea that he believes will solve
the controversy over the bill to re-
peal the Declarations of Intentions
Act, now on the third reading call
endar of the Senate
ing into Maryland must declare
their intention to vote at least one
year prior to becoming eligible to
cast their ballots.
Auto Tax Change Urged.
The Senate Finance Committee
yesterday proposed an amendment
to an automobile tax bill pending
in the Legislature. The amendment
would provide for combined license
and tax free for automobiles, and
make other extensive revisions to
the bill as it now stands.
It would strike out the present
provisions for taxing automobiles as
personal property.
Owners Of cars weighing 3,700
pounds or less would pay an annual
fee of SIS, while those weighing
more would pay $23. Five dollars
of the fee for lightweight cars world
60 to the subdivision n whch the
motorists lives and So would go to
the locality on fees collected from
motorists owning the heavier cars.
COunty-Clty Split.
In the case of cities like Salisbury
and Annapolis. half of the SIS or So
fee would 60 to the municipality and
half to the county.
Taxicabs would be taxed $40 an
nually; funeral coaches, except those
owned, SIS; and motor
cycles and similar vehicles SIS.
A new series of rates of CONNER
cial motor vehicles would be setup.
with a registration fee based on
gross weight and load Under the
system fees would range from S12
for trucks of not more than 5000
pounds to $156 for trucks weighing
with load not more than 10000
pounds.
Vehicles heavier than 20 tons
when loaded would pay tax of 40
cents per hundredweight. Trailers
and semi trailers would be billed on
the same basis.
Among new measures introduced
was one which would take from the
Tidewater Fisheries Commission and
the Department of Game and In
land Fisheries the power to enforce
bay, river and stream pollution con-
troll when the proposed Anti-pollu-
L