Evening star., 1950-02-05

License Reforms
Urged for Early
Maryland Action
Commission Proposes
Shift of Some ,Levies
Back to Localities
BY the Asseeiessd Press

ny me Assoetafsd rress
ANNAPOLIS. Feb. 4. - The
State was urged today to get out
of one type of license business and
take over completely another.
The Maryland Tax Survey Com
mission recommended the State
leave to the cities and counties the
job of issuing so-called privilege
licenses such as for hawkers and
peddlers. At the same time. it
recommended the State assume
entirely the responsibility for
licensing those seeking to engage
in certain trades. occupations and
professions.
The Tax Commissions report
was made to Gov. Lane. who ap-
pointed it last June.
The Governor said he imme-
diately asked the attorney gen.
eral to prepare appropriate bills
embodying the provisions sug-
gested by the commission" He
added the report will be submitted
next week to the General Assem-
bly, so that it may be considered
promptly.
Major Faults Found.
The Tax Commission, headed
by Richard w. Case. found two
fundamental faults with Mary
lands present system Of licensing
businesses.
l. "It permits the political sub
divisions to spend tax revenues
produced from activities which
are purely local in scope without
incurring any responsibility for
raising such revenues" the re-
port stated.
2. "The weakness inherent in
State administration of a basic
ally local license system which
results in undue administrative
difficulties in securing equitable
application to all business within
the scope of the license through
out the State"
The commission listed 20 busi-
ness activities for which licenses
are necessary. OF these, seven
produced revenues amounting to
s5S.857 for the State last year and
the others. s1.5o9.732 for the cities
and counties.
Greater Economy Sought,
The commission declared the
practice of the State collecting
license fees for political subdi-
visions encourages Officials of To-
cal governments to ignore econ
ony in use of public funds. We
believe that local units of govern
ment should assume the respon-
sibility for imposing, levying, cdl-
lecting and enforcing some por-
tion of the revenue licenses from
which they derive major benefits"
The commission recommended,
therefore, that State laws impos-
ing licenses on 81 businesses be
repealed and others enabling
cities and counties to issue them
be enacted.
The 81 businesses placed in this
category are billiard tables, bowl
ing places, carnivals, circuses, tall
or shops, construction firms, ga
RACES, horses and jacks, laundries,
motion picture machines, moving
pictures. music boxes, pinball ma
chimes, plumbing and gas-fitting
contractors, shows, soft drink
fountains, storage warehouses,
theaters, trading stamp companies,
vending machines and wholesale
dealers in farm machinery.
The commission would main
tain State authority to license
traders, chain stores, restaurants
and cigarette vendors. The State
can enforce these licenses better
than local units, the commission
said.
The commission also urged out
right repeal of licenses for COM
mercial, mercantile and mutual
protective agencies, detective
agencies and agents, gypsies and
nonresident wholesale tobacco
dealers.
Present System Oppressive
It would change the law on
hawkers and peddlers to apply to
vehicles and not to the individual.
The commission called the present
State license Oppressive" because
1t must be obtained in each coun-
ty in which the peddler operates.
The commission figures its sug-
gested changes would cost the
State about $50 900 in yearly reve-
nues. It said, however, some of
the financial loss would be Offset
by release of State employees for
other work; also the General AS
sembly would be freed from "the
necessity of passing numerous acts
for the purpose Of imposing local
licenses"
Turning to regulatory licenses, u
the commission listed 81 State
examining boards. 1t found six
Observation-Disclosures, electricians,
horseshoers, moving picture ma
chine operators, plumbers, and
stationary engineers-are not IL
eensed on State wide basis.
IF a field of endeavor is of
such Importance as to require
regulation at all. it is the convic-
ton of this commission that the
particular field OF endeavor merits
regulation on a Statewide basis .
So it recommended legislation
for Statewide supervision Of de-
tectives. electricians, plumbers,
stationary engineers and movie
operators. 1T urged repeal of ali
laws relating to horssshoers-
there were only six of them in
Baltimore last year.
The commission called for ex-
aminations at least once year
in "oar51 nf fbo roy,oroJ mo iry