Evening star., 1947-03-08
House Votes 10 Raise
Maryland Auto Fees
To SIS and So
by }. B. zotmon
Stor Stoff covTsspondens

~ Ss1S YAS
6y J. B. Zotmon
stor Stoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. ga bill to
set up new system Of motor vehicle
license fees, estimated to bring to
the State an additional 5000, 900 in
revenue, today awaited Senate ap-
proyal before being sent to the Gov
ernor for his signature.
The measure, which would take
effect as soon as it is signed, was
passed by the House yesterday in
one Of the stormiest meetings of
the present Legislative session.
It was sent Immediately to the
Senate, which scheduled 1t as q spe-
cial order of business Monday night.
Under the bill, q fiat SIS would
be charged for passenger cars weigh
ing up to $500 pounds and $23 for
automobiles Weighing over that
amount. License fees for trucks
would be set on q sliding scale based
on chassis weight.
Now Averages 50.
The bill would climate the per-
sonal property tax on pleasure cars
but not on trucks.
Under the present law, the regis
tration fee Is set on q basis Of 90
cents per unit Of horsepower. It
was estimated the tax cost averages
around So.
The principal provisions Of the
bill, however, are aimed at trucks
Light commercial vehicles now are
taxed on the horsepower rate, while
several legislators said even opera
tors Of large trailer trucks have ad-
mitted they were paying low reg
istration fee.
The bill provides that, Of the pro-
posed SIS license fee for light pleas
ure cars, IS would 90 to the counties
and half Of that to incorporated
towns and special taxing areas.
OF the $23 fee for heavy pas
senger cars, So would 60 to the
counties and half of that amount to
municipalities and special taxing
areas.
r. Duncan Clark, q member Of
an-Republican Montgomery County
delegation, said that, In 1943, the
county and its political subdivisions
received $4,000 from the State In
automobile taxes. Under the new
schedule, he estimated the return
at approximately 1886, 900.
Asks Immediate Approval.
The bill came before the House
yesterday in routine fashion when
Leroy Humphrey, Democrat, of
Prince Georges County, House ma
jority leader, brought in a favorable
report from the Ways and Means
Committee, Of which he Is chair
man.
After the favorable report was
approved, Mr.. Pumphrey in a sur
prise move, asked that the rules be
suspended and that final action be
taken on the measure. The request
was adopted.
While admitting that more than
a dozen amendments had been added
to the bill earlier that day and that
members Of the House had not had
an opportunity to study them, Mr.
Pumphrey emphasized that i'm
mediate action should be taken since
the present license tags expire
March 81. 49,.
Several delegates jumped to their
feet to oppose what they described
as an attempt to railroad" the
measure. They said that, while
they did not oppose the BILL they
objected to the manner in which 1t
had been placed before them.
In the middle of q roll call vote,
Jerome Robinson, Democrat, of the
fourth Baltimore district, apparently
fearing the measure would not re-
ceive the required three-f1fths ma
jority. asked for a quorum call.
Some Change to Aye.
Democratic leaders left the cham
ber to corral additional votes, while
several advisers to the Governor
buttonholed the delegates who had
voted against the bill in an attempt
to persuade them to change their
votes.
The roll call then was resumed,
and the bill was passed, IS to %,
after half a dozen delegates had
changed their votes from no to aye.
Among the bills introduced in the
House were two by the Montgomery
delegation. One would extend the
western boundary Of the Bethesda
Fire Area from Thomas Branch to
Cabin John Greek and increase the
fire tax from IL to Is cents.
The other would authorize the
Montgomery County commissioners
to purchase robes for judges of the
Circuit Court.