Evening star., 1949-02-06
Assembly Urged
ToCa|| on Lane
For Full Budget
Confusion Is Seen
In Delay Of Maryland
Supplemental Plan
By J. L. MichoeI
speeioI correspondsnt Of The s.or

speeioI Correspondent Of The ssor
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 5.-Maryland's
"docile" legislators were urged today
to insist that Gov. Lane present the
States supplemental budget as soon
as possible.
The full scope of the States
spending plan for fiscal 1850 cam
not be properly analyzed, the Mary
land Public Expenditures Council
declared, until the general budget
is supplemented by the administra-
tion's capital improvements pro-
gram.
The council warned that the Leg
islature must take immediate steps
if it would avoid hurried and con-
fused actions which result when
supplemental appropriations are
presented in the closing days of the
session"
Citing the Goodnow budget
amendment of 1916, which took
budget-making out of the hands
Of the General Assembly, the Coun-
Gil asserted that there has been a
growing tendency for the Legislature
to rubber stamp financial 1egisla-
ton"
Docility Is Charged.
The Expenditures Council said
that in order to overcome this lin
creasing docility toward executive
budgets" the General Assembly
should prevail upon the administra-
tion to present its capital improve
ment program in time TO assure
adequate discussion and study.
IF the proposed expenditures for
the State for a 12-month period
are to require three months of leg
tslative action before becoming law"
the council said, then a great por-
tion of the benefits to be expected
from annual sessions of the Legisla-
ture will be lost"
Declaring that the bulk of the
supplemental appropriations deal
with '"brick and mortar improve
ments." the council said that, other
than possible inconvenience to the
administration, there appears TO
be no reason the supplemental ap-
preparations should not be presented
close on the heels of the general
budget.
The loosely termed supplemental
budget" the council said, consists
of individual appropriations in the
form Of separate bills that can be
presented by the executive branch
at any time. Thus, emergency ap-
preparations, such as funds necessary
to alleviate conditions in the States
mental institutions, need not deter
the presentation of other capital
improvement items.
Study Begins Next Weak.
With the first third of the 194Si
session behind them, tie legislators
next week will tackle the general
budget. Maryland's first covering a !
single year. The Senate Finance
Committee will hold its first budget
session Tuesday.
A House Ways and Means Sub
committee this week held its first
two sessions on the 305-page volume
These were termed exploratory" by
DR.. Elwin A. Mauck, director of the
fiscal research bureauN The real
work is yet to come.
Gov. Lane submitted his record
breaking $l30,846.152 operating
budget two weeks ago. The Legisla-
ture may trim it or slash it to the
bone. but by law may not increase
1t.
Gov. Lane said he had to hew
the requests Of State agencies with
his "double-bitted ax," in order to
make the budget balance.
The supplemental budget, cover
ing new items like expanded mental
hospital and school programs, is
due to be submitted late in the
session.
Hearings To Be Planned.
Chairman Sothoron said the Sen
ate Finance Committee will go
through the general budget item oy
item" at a series of fiscal sessions.
He called the first meeting to start
earmarking items on which hear
tngs will be held.
0dOC4y Vic 0SL4dOC S4o0P A3 LlO1O
Joint budget sessions with the House
Ways and Means Committee. Dele
gate Bandiere is chairman of the
House subcommittee already at work
on the budget.
Starting its sixth week Monday
night, the General Assembly will
also be ready to take up anti-sub-
versive legislation, the Jim Crow law,
and the Presidents tenure.
County To Offer Bill.
The Montgomery County delega-
tion said it would introduce bill
to ratify an amendment to the
United Statse Constitution limiting
the President to two consecutive
terms.
A joint hearing by the Senate and
House Judiciary Committees on a
bill to require loyalty checks of
teachers and other State employees
has been scheduled for Thursday.
House committee action is due on
o Senate-approved bill to repeal
law requiring segregation of Negroes
~, Chaea~aoLa por farrioS