Evening star., 1951-01-17
Assessment Hearing
10 Draw
Crowd al Annapolis
By J. B. Zotmon
Star Staff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Jan. ia capa-
city crowd is expected to attend
a Senate Finance Committee
hearing tomorrow on a bill which
would eliminate Maryland's pres
ent method of assessing property
for tax purposes.
In the meantime, legislative at
tacks continued on the mystery
surrounding unauthorized con-
struction at the University Of
Maryland's Negro branch at
Princess Anne.
Senator John G. Turnbull, Dem
ocrat, of Baltimore County intro
duced a resolution yesterday de-
manding a legislative investiga-
ton. At the same time, Delegate
Horace Whitworth, Republican, Of
Allegany County said he would
try to have the Ways and Means
Committee hold up all university
appropriations until some one ex-
plains how the construction
started.
Hearing Begins at IL AM.
TomorroW's hearing on what is
expected to develop into one of
the knottiest problems confronting
the General Assembly will be held
at II am. in the Finance Com
mittee room in the Court Of Ap-
peals Building.
Chairman Louis L. Goldstein,
Democrat, of Calvert County said
the meeting will be shifted to
the Senate chamber If the COM
mittee room is unable to ac-
commodate the crowd.
Senator Goldstein said he Is
strongly in favor of the measure
He attacked as unfair and dis
criminatory" the present system
under which the cities and coun-
ties are divided into five districts
with one district in each subdivi.
sion assessed annually.
In it's place, the bill. sponsored
by the Tax Survey Commission
would have the State return tt
the old plan of revaluing prop.
erty on a year-to-year basis, ef.
fective January !, 1854.
People Shocked, Turnbull Says.
i 1t also provides that the re.
/ quest Of any county or Baltimore
the annual reassment plan coule
be put into effect Immediately
/ In his resolution. which wa.
referred to the Rules Committee
Senator Turnbuu said:
THE people of the State o1
Maryland have been shocked anc
confused" by the disclosure that
$4,000 worth of unauthorized
work has been done on a pro-
posed $271 900 agricultural en-
gineering building at Princess
Anne.
He said "a policy of pitiless
publicity" would reassure Mary
landers that the Senate sis deter
mined to ferret out and vigorously
reveal any delinquency in the ad
ministration of the public bust
ness"
The Board of Public Works last
week rejected the contractors bic
On the project. And the Depart
ment of Public Improvements and
DR.. H. c. Byrd, university presi-
dent, have denied they authorized
the work.
Abandonment Urged.
4 Several State Commissioners
have recommended that the
Princess Anne institution be
abandoned and Gov. McKeldir
; last week advocated that NJ
further capital improvements bt
made there.
The Senate passed and sent tx
: the House a bill to make th'
{ carrying of a concealed f1rearm {
| felony. It is now a misdemeanor
In effect the measure would per
NIT the use of weapons found b.
police in spot "frisks" of suspects
as evidence in their trials.
Other bills given Senate ap
proval would:
Waive the motor vehicle titlin
tax in cases where new resident
| of Maryland transfer their moto
vehicle registrations from othe
States.
Make the State or political sub
divisions responsible for payin,
for damages to an automobile in
volved in an accident after it ha
been commandeered by an officer
Under the present law the mo
torist is responsible.