Evening star., 1949-03-05
De|egationMaps
Fightto0verriide
Report on Bills
Lofstrond Gains Delay
Until Tuesday on
Planning Measures
BY J. B. Zotmon
stor Stoff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 5.-The
House of Delegates will act Tues
day on an unfavorable committee
report on four bills affecting the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. with
the Montgomery delegation ex-
pected to wage an all-out fight to
override the report.
The Ways and Means Commit
tee voted, 10 to 7. yesterday to re-
Ject the measures which would
transfer building and electrical
inspections and subdivision plan
ming from the commission to the
Montgomery County Council.
When the report was brought to
the floor of the House, Anders R..
LofStrand. jr., chairman of the
all-Republican Montgomery dele
cation. Immediately moved to de-
fer action until 2:30 pm. Tuesday.
The motion was approved by a
voice vote.
1t is understood the delay was
asked to enable the delegation to
obtain the support of other legis-
lators.
Maryland U. Details Sought.
The House also advanced to the
final passage stage a bill to re-
quire the University of Maryland
to submit detailed budget re-
quests, beginning with the 1861
fiscal year.
The Senate, meanwhile, ap-
proved the perennial proposal to
repeal the Declarations of Inten-
tions Act which requires persons
to proclaim their intentions one
year before becoming eligible to
vote. The bill. which now goes
to the House, had passed the Sem
ate twice before in recent years
but was defeated in the House.
Clark Asks Advance on Bills.
The committees stand against
the Park and Planning Commits
sion bills was taken despite plea
by Montgomery Delegate R. Dun
can Clark, a member of the group,
to report the measures favorably.
He also proposed an amend
ment to have the bills go into
effect September /, instead of
June /, as provided originally. He
explained that laws passed by the
County Council in May become
effective August Is, so that if the
bills were approved, there would
be no building and electrical in
spections between June l and the
August date.
In urging approval of his motion
for a favorable report, Mr.. Clark
emphasized that the commissions
park acquisition and planning
functions in the regional area of
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties would remain undis-
turbed by the proposed legislation.
$50. Source of Taxes Cited. -
He pointed out the county re-
ceives SO per cent of its taxes from
the regional district and per cent
from the remainder of the county.
THE present system cuts our
county in half" he declared, "be-
cause we can't get enough taxes
from the Z per cent to set up the
necessary inspection services for
the entire county"
In reply to a question by Chair
man Leroy Humphrey of Prince
Georges County, Mr.. Clark en-
phasized the bills would not affect
the Governors appointive powers
over commission members.
Mr.. Pumphrey. however. op-
posed the bills on the ground
development of the Metropoli-
tan Area of the two counties
necessitated overall planning by
one agency.
Calls for Unified Planning.
You can't divide this area
into two parts and still have
unified planning" he said. off
cials of the two counties wanted
the commission created in 1927
because they foresaw the develop
ment of the area adjacent to
Washington and they wanted one
planning agency to coordinate
that development.
1T would be fatal TO that area
to emasculate the commission for
political purposes"
After the committee adjourned
and just before the House con-
vened, E. Brooke Lee, vice chair
man of the commission and leader
of the county Democratic organi-
zation, was seen on the floor OF
the chamber talking with dele
gates.
In the corridor outside was j..
Bond Smith, attorney to the COM
mission and chairman of the Dem
ocratic State Central Committee
for Montgomery. Both men have
expressed strong opposition to the
bills.
The Montgomery delegation also
did it's share of "politicKing" be-
fore the House met by placing on
each delegates desk a copy Of a
County Council statement indors-
ing the planning commission bills.
Hon Named Supervisor