Evening star., 1952-12-11
Counties 10 Seek
New Maryland
Assessment Law
Commissioner Group
Also Calls for
Auto Inspections
By J. L. Michael
Sfor Stoff Correspondent

by }. L. MIchoeI
stor stoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Md, Dec. IL
Maryland's top county officials
will ask the next Legislature for
lax assessment law changes and
q statute providing for compulsory
motor vehicle inspections.
The State Association of County
Commissioners also will seek sub
division authority to fix weight
and speed limits on local roads.
Motions embodying these rec
concentrations were adopted yes
terday at the units annual meet
ing here.
The IS leaders in session at
Carvel Hall Hotel shunted the
Green Commissions teacher pay
raise plan aside as "too complex
for immediate consideration" It
was referred to the associations
Legislative Committee.
Also sidetracked was proposed
legislation for county control Of
|billboards along State highways.
Commissioners from 18 of the
States % counties were reminded
that such controls are possible
through zoning regulations.
Five Counties Not Represented.
Baltimore. st. Marys, Somerset.
Talbot and Worcester Counties
were not represented.
There was no discussion of the
State school construction program.
On the paramount tax assess
ment issue, the group approved
the impending three-year cycle
but urged that re-evaluations be
recorded annually.
The new law, scheduled to be-
come effective January /, 1854.
calls for three instead of five tax
districts and directs that one divi-
sion be reappraised each year.
But it orders that no re-evalua-
ton figures be added to assessable
bases until entire counties have
been reviewed.
Some commissioners said yester-
day such procedure would hamper
bond sales and thus stymie public
projects. Others expressed the
view that adoption of the practice
would pave the way for financial
chaos in falling economy" pc
IriodS.
Somerville Nicholson, Allegheny
County supervisor of assessments,
termed it "the worst assessment
law the Legislature ever passed"
| The State Tax Commission will
accept the plan approved by the
association yesterday, he assured
the commissioners. Mr.. Nichol-
son described it as compromise
between the views of one, three
and flve-year cycle advocates, all
of whom have strong support.
Mr.. Nicholson said the State
tax body will go along because
lit does not want another battle
and because all its administra-
tive machinery is now geared for
the three-year plan.
Approval of the proposed COM
pulsory motor vehicle inspection
law reversed the stand taken by
the association last year. Hither-
to-, highly controversial matter.
there was no opposition yeSter-
day.
Adoption of the motion came
after Maryland was pictured as
a "hot rod" State and a dumping
ground for jalopies ruled unfit
for service in adjoining areas.
Under State Authority.
The commissioners made it
clear, however. that they will op-
pose inspections by private OPP
orators. Their motion specified
that checkups be made at sta
tions controlled by the Motor
Vehicle Department or State po-
lice.
Discussion of the proposal to
authorize counties to set weight
and speed limits on their own
highways brought complaints that
heavy State-owned trucks are
running roads built by the
counties.
1.-The State is building highways
by tearing up county roads," one
commissioner remarked.
Most Of the county heads ad-
mitted that they are baffled by
the complications of the new
teacher pay raise plan. Their
reaction for the most part was a
mixture of skepticism and near
hostility.
Paul M. Widdowson. Wicomico
County, was elevated from vice
president to president yesterday.
Winslow F. Burhans, Washington
County. was elected vice president.
Eugene p. Matthews, Dorchester
County. was named secretary
treasurer. All of the six directors
were reelected.