Evening star., 1949-06-01
Council Enacts
Nine New Laws
In Montgomery
TotoI of 33 Approved
During Month-Lone
Legislative Session
By John V. Horner

ReSlCeltS OF montgomery COun-
ty had opportunity today TO study
80 new laws-rahging In subject
matter from bond issues to the
feeding OF prisoners-which were
passed during a month-long legis-
lative session Of their County
Council. ending last night.
Nine Of the new statutes were
enacted yesterday during the
councils final l949 meeting as a
legislature. Included among these
are laws enlarging the suburban
tax district: offering special
county services to municipalities
and permitting the county to as
sumo refuse collecting functions Of
the Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission.
The latter bill. as enacted. was
a much modified version of the
original proposal to relieve the
Sanitary Commission Of garbage
removal duties. Reporting that
progress has been made toward
the transfer. as a result Of nego-
tiations with the commission,
council members decided not to
direct" but to authorize" the
agency to shift the work and its
equipment to the county.
Dispensary Bill Passed.
Charter supporters in Mont
gomery sought to accomplish this
by act of the General Assembly
but were rebuffed by the Demo-
cratic Party organization. Before
his amended bill was passed yes
terday, Councilman Douglas Brad
shaw announced that the Sanitary
Commission has shown co-opera-
ton for the change.
Previously the council passed a
bill requiring the County Liquor
Board to transfer to the county the
title of the dispensary property in
Silver Spring. A similar proposal
to the General Assembly was de-
feated by the Democratic organiza-
ton. If the Liquor Board ignores
the councils action. court test OF
home rule authority Is probable.
During the closing session. the
council also repealed number OF
laws, including one to abolish the
office of public utility agent. It
adopted legislation enabling 1t to
pass ordinances for the regulation
of kennels and veterinary hos
pitals; amended laws governing
the Juvenile Court: abolished the
Office of police civil service COM
missioner; strengthened laws per-
tanning TO the finance department
and tx leyiess removed ~ osts'
dated restriction Of IS cents per
day for the feeding Of each pris-
oner and authorized the county
to contract with incorporated
towns for special services. such as
snow removal.
One Measure Tabled.
OF the 38 bills introduced dur
ing the legislative session. only four
were killed outright. These con-
sisted of a proposal to award the
Silver Spring fire department
part of the area now assigned to
Kensington and three bills per-
tanning to unsupported libraries.
A fifth bill was killed by tabling.
but its provisions were incor-
porated into another measure.
The council refrained from con-
sidering two major proposals. re-
quested by citizens groups. One
was an off-street parking project
in Bethesda and the other a
81 500, 900 bond issue for a Silver
Spring hospital.
Speaking for the council yes
terday. President Frederic P. Lee
said the parking lot plan advanced
by the Bethesda Chamber OF Com
merce came too late for the solu-
ton Of related problems.
He said: "' Delay in en-
actment of this legislation for a
year will not result in a delay on
the project itself, because even If
the program were approved now.
we would not be in position to
provide for the necessary tax
within the coming year"
Nonpartisan Elections Decreed.
During the legislative session
the council acted to make the
governmental machinery conform
to the Montgomery charter which
became operative in January.
In furtherance of the new home
rule philosophy, it decreed non
partisan elections for the County
Council. This Is in direct conflict
with the Assembly passed Lindsay
Law and therefore is expected to
result in another court test.
Other home rule legislation in
cludes the refuse-collecting law,
the liquor dispensary act and PEN
alties for political activity by
county employees.
The council authorized q maxi
mum bond issue of SO, Zoo. 900. It
is probable, however, that only
part of this win be approved by
ordinances. OF the total. $5.000.-
600 is allocated for school con-
struction and the council intends
to obtain most. If not all. Of the
amount from a State grant and
a State credit pool loan. Bond
issue authorization under the new
law will be reduced automatically
by the amount obtained from the
State.
$4,000 for Parking Plan.
The council authorized up to
81 900 900 for road and storm wa
ter drainage systems and related
projects. II added another $780,
900 for completing the Silver
Spring off-street parking lot pro-
gram. The latter would be borne
by revenues from suburban district
taxes.
The council passed laws enabling
:t-at later dates-to zone rural
areas of the county and adopt
codes for building. FIRE protection.
a n