Evening star., 1949-11-19
|MayorsContinue
To Press Study
||0fHonle Rule
Baltimore County
Legislator to Speak
| On Problem Today
BY the Associated Press

lands mayors kept pounding away
today at their favorite theme
home rule-with another discus.
sion of the problem by q member
of the House of Delegates.
Harry I. Warren, representing
Baltimore County in the House,
was to speak on "The Legislative
Need for Home Rule" before the
Maryland League of Municipali-
ties installs its officers and ad.
journs its two-day convention. >
Last night George P. Mahoney,
former State racing commissioner,
told the mayors that from so to
6625 per cent of the measures
passed by the General Assembly
are concerned with matters re-
lating solely to individual coun-
ties, towns or cities" ..1
Called "Next Governor"
Mr.. Mahoney was introduced
by Mayor Julian L. Tubman Of
Cambridge as "the next Governor
of the State of Maryland"
The former commissioner al
ready has begun preliminary cam
paigning for the gubernatorial
nomination in next springs DEM
ocratic primary election. but he
has not formally announced his
candidacy.
Mayor Herman L. Mills Of Hag-
erstown urged his fellow mayors
to raise "our collective voices
in protection of the municipal
rights of the residents of our re-
spective cities"
I'VE have painfully learned
that only through such collective
voice can enough speaking volume
be raised to make an impression
and to secure relief" he added.
I'VE have the strength now and
am sure we will add to it. Let us
determine to use our group
strength to secure fair treatment
for Maryland cities"
BY painfully learned" Mayor
Mills evidently referred to the
leagues unsuccessful effort to
have the last Legislature pass
home rule enabling act. Mayor
G. La Mar Kelley, jr., of Rock
vile told what happened.
Our bill last time went to the
House Committee on Constitu-
tional Amendments and that's
where it sat-" he said. THE COM
mittee didn't seem to know why
it shouldn't come out-they just
tossed it around"
The leagues Committee on Leg
islation was instructed to prepare
another such bill for the next
General Assembly. This time.
Mayor Kelly said, it should get
on the floor. What happens from
there is anybody's guess"
Cites Dependence.
AS an example Of the depend
ence of Maryland municipalities
on, the Legislature. Mayor Mills
said:
Frederick had to get special
permission to reduce the annual
license fee of female dogs from
IS to So" .
Mayor Mills cited finances and
zoning as two of the biggest prob
lens facing municipal administra-
ton. In his own Hagerstown.
he said. the 50-cent tax rate il
probably an "all-time low for .
city of our size"
Membership in the League OF
Municipalities has grown from IL
to 63 in the last year. Among
the notable absentees is Balti-
more. Mayor Thomas d'Alesan-
dro told the convention it's be-
cause he didn't feel justified in
spending the $1,000 it would cost
in dues.
However, Mayor Mills plugged
for more representation in the
General Assembly for Baltimore
as part of a plea for equal rep,
resentation and equal taxation.
GA bill to revise representation
in the General Assembly was killed
at the last Legislature.)
Frank Summers, district engi-
neer of the General Services ad-
ministrations told the municipal
representatives there is $3.50, 900
Of Federal money available in
Maryland as loans in preparation
of public improvements.
Mayor John c. Post Of Takoma
Park, league president, appointed
Charles Mcdonald of Greenbelt,
Mrs. Myrtle Polk of Pocomoke
City and Harold Hilliard, ST., of
Takoma Park to make nomina-
tions for officers at tomorrow'S
closing session.
Mrs. Elizabeth S. Harrington Eof
Greenbelt was the only woman
mayor among the several munei-
pal administration heads at the
convention.