Evening star., 1947-04-01
Assembly Adjourns,
|Lauded by Lane for
lis Tax Legislation
BY a staff Correspondent Of The Star

!. ANNAPOLIS, April members
of the General Assembly were home
ward bound after adjourning the
l947 session today with a verbal pat
on the back from Gov. Lane for
valuable services" rendered.
The House adjourned at ! am.
and the Senate about half hour
later.
Gov. Lane was given every major
legislative request except for plan
to redistribute Assembly representa-
ton of the counties and Baltimore
City, which the Legislature left
unchanged.
Although House approval of the
Governors $11 sos 900 bill for capital
improvement at State institutions
was the Legislatures last major task,
both branches were busy far into the
night passing dozens Of local
measures.
Among them was bill permitting
Baltimore city and II of the States
% counties to enact rent control
regulations in the event Federal con-
trolls are lifted. The act expires
June 80, 1949. The IL counties ex-
empted from the &C include Prince
Georges.
The s11,es5, 900 Capital Improve.
ments Act will supply the University
of Maryland and its departments
with about $5,000,000. The remain
der will go to other institutions fol
needed buildings in the next two
years.
Lauds Legislators.
In his message, Gov. Lane told
the legislators:
"You have approved the legislation
under which generous share of the
States revenues will be distributed
to the political subdivisions. In
order to enable the State to finance
its expanded program, particularly
in the field of education, you have
enacted legislation providing for q
2 per cent consumers sale tax anc
for consumers use tax and have
passed the recommended increase
in the State income tax"
"You have also increased gasoline
taxes from 4 to cents gallon
and you have revised upward tht
license fees on trucks and other
motor vehicles"
Adding that the session will al
ways be remembered as one of the
greatest in the history of the State,
the Governor closed by expressing
his best wishes for health, happi-
ness and prosperity until we shall
assemble here again in special o.
regular session
Some delegates saw in the Gov.
ernor's closing statement hint oi
a special session. They pointed Out
that the Legislature has approved
bills granting Baltimore City anc
Montgomery County taxing powers
equivalent to those of the State ir
the face of Governors opposition
Sales Tax Fight FLARES Up.
Members of the Baltimore City
and Montgomery delegations have
contended that they must broader
their taxing field in order to NEE
present and future obligations.
If the Governor vetoes the meas
ures, they said, special session
may have to be called.
Montgomery delegates said the
county,s real estate tax already Is
one of the highest, If not the high
est, of any county in the State and
that other methods Of taxation
must be found.
They asserted that another bill
permitting the county commission.
ers to impose tax not to exceed
per cent on commercial and residen.
tial rentals would not provide al
of the additional revenue needed
The tax would be paid by those rent.
ing the properties.
The sales tax issue f1ared III
briefly in the Senate last night wher
a group of Republicans tried to ge
referendum on it. The move wa
beaten 16 to 9.
just before the attempt. bill ex.
empting ice for domestic use from
the 2 per cent levy was sent to tn,
Governor.
Also sent to the Governor was 1
bill creating a veterans housing
commission.