Evening star., 1949-02-03
Income Tax Bill
Near|ySetf for
Lane Signature
Rute-Freeze Measure
Awoits Only House OK
On Senote Changes
By j. B. Zotmon
Sfor Sfoff Corrsspondsnt

Sfor SfofF Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 3.-The long.
delayed bill to keep the tax on per.
sonal income at per cent today
needed only approval of amend.
ments before being sent to the Gov.
ernor for his signature.
Unanimous Senate approval yes
terday made General Assembly
action on the measure all but final.
1t would rescind legislative action
taken at the 1947 session to raise the
tax to az per cent this year on 1913
income.
An amendment tackled on by the
Senate Finance Committee would
permit taxpayers to use the short
form" for incomes up to $4,000.
Investment Rate Cut Favored.
After the favorable committee re.
port was adopted Senator Edward
D. Storm, Democrat, Of Frederick
County, offered an amendment
which would reduce the 5 per cent
rate on investment income to 2
per cent on the first $1,000.
He emphasized his proposal would
affect 1949 income and would not
interfere with the Governors budget
for the l949-50 fiscal year.
Under my amendment" he ex.
planned, "if the rate on earned in.
come Is raised to az per cent, the
tax on the first 81 900 Of investment
income likewise would 90 up to ~
per cent"
Majority Lesder Sothorcn called
for the defeat of the amendment.
however, on the ground 1t would
complicate the bill and result In fur.
ther delay in the House. He sug-
gested the proposal be embodied in
a separate measure.
Defeated 1913.
In a roll-call vote. the amend
ment was defeated, 1918.
The Senate deferred to Monday
night action on favorable judiciary
Committee report on a bill to amend
the House act so as to admit in evi-
dence concealed weapons found In
an otherwise illegal search.
The move was taken on q motion
by Senator Henry H. Balch, Demo-
crat, of Talbot County, longtime
foe of the measure, who said he
needed considerable time" for his
remarks against it.
A similar attempt to amend the
law was defeated at last years
special session after Senator Balch
started a filibuster against 1t.
In another action, the Senate sent
back to its Judiciary Committee q
bill sponsored by Senator Louis l..
Goldstein. Democrat, of Calvert
County to increase the membership
of the Public Service Commission
from 8 to 5.
| Would Increase Membership.
The committee reported the
measure unfavorably after Senator
Goldstein unsuccessfully attempted
to have the group reconsider its
decision. .& s.
Another bill introduced by sena.
tor Goldstein to increase the State
Roads Commission membership
from to 5 is before the Financs
Committee.
Among proposed legislation sub.
mitted in the Senate yesterday was
a bill providing for the issuance Of
licenses for the carrying Of deadly
weapons.
The licenses would be issued by
the Baltimore police commissioner
and the superintendent Of State
police to applicants of good moral
character and reputation who could
show reasonable" cause for carry
ing weapons and who have knowl-
edge Of their use.
Would Permit Borrowing.
Senator Storm submitted a bill
authorizing the burgess and COM
nissioners of Burkittsville, Fred.
erick County, to borrow up to 5 per
cent of the assessed valuation of
the municipalities property for
street improvements.
In the House, Delegate Joseph A.
Bertorelli, Democrat, of Baltimors
sponsored a bill to exempt from
the sales tax clothing and access
sories of children under 8 years Of
90