Evening star., 1949-03-22
State School Aid
Plans Studied
By Assembly

Lone 0V-MIIIIOn TunQ
Hit as 1000 Back
Incentive Proposal
BY the Assoeiofed Press
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 22.-Mem-
bers of the General Assembly to-
day studied two alternatives for
providing more State aid to locali-
ties for school construction.
One, offered by Gov. Lane,
would establish a $4,000, 900 fund
from which the localities could
borrow at a low rate of interest.
In conflict with this, however
is the plan indorsed last night
by more than 1000 parents and
teachers who, constituting the
largest delegation to attend pub
lie hearing during the current ses-
sion, brought a quick end to nor
NAL business of the General
Assembly.
Lane Bill Received Coldly.
They packed the corridors
while waiting for a hearing on
bills to increase the States pay
ments to the various counties for
new school construction. The
Senators and delegates cut their
regular sessions short so the hear
ing could get under way.
These bills, already pending
would quadruple the school in
centive fund and authorize a
$30,000,000 State bond issue to
help counties which have reached
their debt limit.
Almost unanimously, the speak
ers either ignored or opposed the
administration measure which was
yesterday. Under the
Lane plan, Baltimore and the
counties could borrow in proper
tion to the money they receive
from the redistribution of taxes
collected by the State, such as the
income tax.
Mrs. Cook Sounds Keynote.
Mrs. Stanley G. Cook of Indian
Head. legislative chairman of the
Maryland Congress of Parent
Teacher Associations, sounded the
keynote of hackers of the incen-
tive fund and S30.000,000 bond
issue measures when she said:
Il have been to sessions of the
General Assembly for years. and
have heard repeatedly that you
have scraped the bottom of the
barrel. yet you always seem to end
up with a surplus.
Il ask you to scrape again and
give up scrapings of three or four
million dollars"
Horace P. Whitworth. ST.. father
of the chairman of the Allegheny
County House delegation, opposed
the s30.000,000 school bond bill.
Areas Would Benefit, He Says.
Baltimore City, Calvert and
Montgomery Counties alone would
benefit, he said, since only coun-
ties which have reached the safe
limit" of bonded indebtedness
could qualify.
The administrations measure
omits that kind of restriction.
Switching receipts of the per
cent motor vehicle titling tax from
roads to schools would help, Mr.
Whitworth said. Such a move
would be legal under a bill now
pending. but Gov. Lane said last
week end that he is opposed to
diversion of this highway revenue
Christian H. Kahl, president OF
the Baltimore County Board of
Commissioners. asserted Gov.
Lanes proposed bond issue re-
sembles the S3O,000,O00 measure
already introduced, but there's a
hitch"
Would Shorten Payment Time.
State bonds would have to be
paid off in Is years. Mr.. Kahl
said. Counties put out bonds for
periods up to 80 years.
It costs his own county $4,000
a year to service each $1,000,000
of 25-year bonds at 2.5 per cent
interest. Despite the fact the State
could market bonds at half the
interest charge, Mr.. Kahl said
that under the Governors plan it
would cost us $74.000 per year
for each 100000"
DR.. Thomas G. Pullen, State
superintendent of schools, who
has estimated Maryland school
needs at $145. 100000, said he
backed the county commissioners.
Mrs. Joseph Hirschman, speak
ing for the Maryland League of
Women Voters. preferred out
right grants in aid" But she in
dorsed the bond issuL "as a COM
promise. ="
Mattingly Asks More State Aid.
This is no little Marshall Plan,
said Gerald Powers of the Prince
Georges County Parent-Teacher
Association. 1--WE are not asking
Virginia or Pennsylvania for
money. We are asking only for
some of our own State revenues"
Delegate Mattingly, Democrat,
of St. Marys County was the only
lawmaker to testify. He urged
greater State aid.
So did spokesmen for school
and civic groups from every coun-
ty. Farm organizations were rep
resented by Wilson Heaps of the
Farm Bureau and Edward Hotter
of the State Grange.
About three-fourths of the
crowd indicated in show OF
hands that they would not object
to a one-haf of l per cent jump
in the income tax to pay the cost
Chairman Sothoron of the Sen
ate Finance Committee asked fol