Evening star., 1952-02-03
Assembly Faces
; Big Issues
In Maryland
Teacher Pay Rise,
Income Tox Cut
Among Problems .
By J. B. Zotmon

machinery, WILL hlgnllgnC tne fGen-
eral sAssembly'S 30-day session
which opens Wednesday n
Annapolis.
Action on Gov. McKeldin's
1928 budget. in which he is ex-
pected to ask for more than $17C
million, as compared with the
current $163 million total, also
will occupy the legislative spot
light.
There will be relatively few. local
bills offered because even-yeal
meetings of the legislature are
limited by law to State finances
and questions involving the gen.
eral welfare and emergencies,
Another Judge Sought.
The Montgomery County dele
cation will introduce a bill calling
for a constitutional amendment
to provide for the election Of
another circulit court judge in
that county.
The judicial circuit which in
cludes Montgomery now has three
judges. Two of them are as
signed to Montgomery and the
third to Frederick County, al
though all three sometimes sit
together on an important case.
Because of the heavy docket in
Montgomery County, the two
judges there often have to put
in long hours to keep abreast OF
the flood of litigation.
II the bill passes, the proposed
amendment will come before the
voters next November and the
new Judge will be elected in 1854.
Some attorneys believe the Gov
ernor could make an interim ap-
pointment to the post If the
amendment is adopted.
The Prince Georges County del
egation said 1t has received no
requests for local legislation.
Teacher Pay Issue.
Most of the fireworks at the
coming session are expected to
result from q fight to override
the Governors veto after the 1851
meeting of q bill calling for a $500
annual pay raise for teachers.
At the same time, the legisla-
tors will get another crack at so
other bills which were turned down
by the Governor at the close Of
last years session. ::
They include many Statewide
bills, gne of which would clear the
way for erection of d S. million
State Office building in Annapolis
and another which would grant
broad self-governing powers to
the University of Maryland.
But also among them are many
local issues, such as whether to
extend Saturday night closing
hours in certain Prince Georges
County liquor establishments from
midnight to 2 am. on Sundays;
q liquor license for q new yacht
club in Anne Arundel County, re-
organizing the Washington Sub
urban Sanitary Commission and
forbidding oyster bed leases in
much Of Somerset County.
Action Required.
To override the Republican Gov
ernor's veto, the Democratic-domi-
mated Legislature must again ap-
prove each measure by a three
f1fths majority.
Gov. McKeldin has consistently
opposed the pay raise bill on the
ground teachers salaries should
be handled at the local level.
Under the bill, the increases would
be paid for by a 1-cent jump in
the Accent corporation tax.
Many Republicans Joined with
the Democratic majority in pass
ing the bill last year. Whether
they will attempt to override the
Governors veto probably will be
determined il4 a large part by
action taken at a party caucus
Wednesday.
The proposal for is per cent
slash in individual income taxes is
expected. to slide through both
houses with little difficulty.
It was advanced by State Con-
troller j. Millard Tawes and has
been indorSed by Gov. McKeldin
and the Legislative Council.
Would Tap Reserve Fund.
If passed, the cut. would apply to
1851 income which must be re-
ported by April Is. MIR. Tawes has
estimated the cut would wipe out
So million in State revenue. This
would be more than made up, how
ever, by drawing from Maryland's
$12 million surplus.
The Legislative Council also has
proposed doubling the present $100
annual raise given teachers auto
matically under the present pay
scale.
Proposed changes in the States
budget system are contained in
eight bills drafted by the Sobelofi
Commission.
The major innovation would be
substitution of a one-package
perlormanceAtype budget for the
present line-item form, which
characterizes the three different
budgets submitted annually by the
Governor. This change would re-
quire a constitutional amendment
In addition, all requests fol
Federal aid would be cleared
through the Governor and the
department Of budget procurement
and.there would be an all-inclusive
budget covering the annual State.
wide public, improvements pro-
gram.