Evening star., 1950-02-18
'Tax-Cutting Bills
Await Signing
Lane
Levy on Food Sold
In Restaurants to Be
Studied Monday
By J. |. MichoeI
SpeeioI Stor Corsspondent

By J. |. MiehoeI
spseiaI stor Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. With
major tax cut bills ready for
Gov. Lanes signature, Maryland
legislators are at home today for
a weekend rest.
The Senate yesterday approved
a bill increasing from $100 to
$500 the amount of investment
income within the maximum in
come of $4,000 which may be
taxed at 2 percent.
Gavels are due to fall again
in both houses at 8 pm. Monday
but members of two committees
are to be at the State House seven
hours earlier.
At l pm. Monday the Senate
Finance and House Ways and
Means Committees will meet in
joint session to take up the ques-
ton of whether food sold in
hotels and restaurants is to be
exempted from the sales tax.
Move Gains Support.
A move for such pairing began
soon after the 30-day session be-
gan and has gained steadily as has
a proposal to permit deduction of
Federal income tax payments
when computing State returns.
Before leaving the Capitol yes
terday, the Senate and House
Finance Committee decided to ask
Gov. Lane for help in alleviating
the plight of Maryland hospitals.
Through their spokesman,
Harvey Weiss. director of Balti-
Sinai Hospital, institutions
throughout the State have pleaded
for at least 1891 900 more than
their s1,392.9o9 appropriation for
1851. Later in the day a delega-
tion from the two committees
called on the executive.
They reported Gov. Lane was
"sympathetic" to the request, but
where the money would
come from.
Administration leaders. as per-
picked as others as to procedure
in this first short session, appar-
emily have found way to dispose
OF at least a few controversial
issues.
Issues May Be DELAYED.
In the House two resolutions
seek to leave for future decision
the matter of what to do about
the States rotational property as
sessment program and the ques-
tion of whether Maryland is to in
stitute syste moi motor vehicle
inspections.
Speaker Sybert and Majority
Floor Leader Pumphrey succeeded
yesterday in gaining approval of
delegates for a resolution request
ing the Governor to name a spe-
cial commission to investigate the
inspection plan.
Another resolution offered by
four delegates would ask the Gov
ernor to appoint commission to
review the States entire assess
ment procedure. The commission
would be expected to recommend
"a sound and equitable program
of assessments"
Administration strategy to beat
down bonus legislation also began
to shape up, somewhat In this
fashion:
The budget must be passed
before any other appropriation
and final vote in the
House to consider it can be stalled
until three days before the As
sembly adjourns.
Bills May Be Stymied.
Other bills, including the bonus,
can be stymied in committee for
five days under the new rules
before they can be petitioned out.
AS it could work out, a bonus
bill might be held up in hostile
committee until the sessions last
day before the hapless bonus
hackers could get it to the floor.
Even if they find way to force
a vote in the final rush, they
would have to battle it out under
suspension of the rules. That
means that to pass the measure
would have to have 81 instead Of
81 "ayes" in the House and 20
instead of Is in the Senate. A
three-f -f1fths majority is required
when rules are suspended.
A lottery similar to the Irish
Sweepstakes was proposed in a
bill offered by Delegate Milanicz
of Baltimore, who said it would
raise $6,00O,000 a year "for hos
pitals and other purposes" II
would require constitutional
and referendum.
Other Bills Pass.
Among bills passed by the Sem
ate yesterday was measure pro-
viding that person may change
party affiliation at any time ex-
cept so days before a primary
election or 10 days afterWard.
Present law prevents a chance Of
affliation during the six months
primary.
The Senate also approved bill
sponsored by Delegate McGrath,
Democrat, Prince Georges, null
lifying the validity of search and
seizure warrants after Is days
from date of issuance.