Evening star., 1952-06-05

Maryland Study
Calls on Cities ID
Pass Own Laws
Report Would Ease
Legislators Work
On LocuI Matters
BY the Assoeioted Press

Dali i 1MO1kE, OuA1C .. GIO'
posals for letting Maryland cite:
make their own laws instead oi
the General Assembly today were
included in a Sobeloff Commis-
sion report.
The commission was appointed
in 1851 to study the whole ad.
ministrative set-up of the State
It is named for its chairman
Simon E. Sobelof.
The commissions first recon-
mendations were for. new budget
practices. most of which were
adopted earlier this year.
Recommended in Report.
In its second report. the COM
mission recommends that the
General Assembly be prohibited
from passing local laws relating
to cities and towns or the powers
and duties of the % counties.
This would give legislators
more time to consider important
matters of Statewide interest
and would free them from ex-
cessive concern over purely local
matters" stated the commission.
"Also, responsibility for local
matters would be placed on local
officials rather than on the county
delegations in the State legisla-
ture."
Would Cut Legislative Work
The commission estimated that
freedom from local legislation
would cut the work of State legis-
lators at least in half. At the last
90-day session in 1851, the COM
mission reported, 20 per cent OF
the bills passed were local in ma
ture.
It proposes to take the local
legislation load off the General
Assembly through two amend
ments to the constitution.
One would prohibit the General
Assembly from enacting local
laws relating to municipal cor
porations, except for local laws
establishing maximum property
tax and debt limits. Such a con.
Stitutional provision should au-
thorize municipalities to. amend
their own charters or adopt new
ones"
Debt. and Tax Policy.
The General Assembly should
retain authority over taxes anc
debt. the commission said, ''be-
cause of the impact of local deb,
and tax policy on the States
credit rating. ="
Voters in a local jurisdiction
still would have a chance to ap-
prove or disapprove any changes
in the tax or debt structure
"The proposed amendment will
allow a practical amount of mu.
nicipal government" stated the
commission. Although Maryland
has been a pioneer in county home
rule, it has not granted similar
authority to it's municipalities ex-
cept Baltimore City"
The other proposed constitu-
tional amendment would "pro-
hibit the passage Of local laws re-
lating to the government Of coun-
ties and Baltimore City. -
Enabled Under Charter.
Baltimore and the counties have
been able for 81 years to adopt
a charter enabling them to enact
laws and select their form OF
government. But only Baltimore
City and Montgomery County
have done so.
"Since the county charter pro.
visions in the Constitution have
not curtailed local legislation il
the General Assembly appreci'
ably" the commission reported
"it is proposed that the ConStitu'
U1OI1 NC 4OX UkIC1 d111C11SCO W P1O
hibit the General Assembly from
enactipg local laws relating to tht
counties and Baltimore City.
Counties which fail to adop
charters would gain no additiona
right to enact or amend their owl
local laws. They would be de-
pendent upon general State law
for their form of government ant
powers"
One of Few States.
The Sobeloff Commission fount
that Maryland is one of the few
which makes extensive use Of loca
legislation by the State.
Although over three-quarter'
of the States have placed sub
stantial provisions in their con
stitutions limiting the passage o
local laws and in 10 States mu
inequalities have been grantet
power to amend their own char
ters, Maryland has done neithe'
except to grant home rule author
ity to Baltimore City and to coun'
ties"
The commission said that as /;
matter of practice "the Genera
Assembly has ah6icated in faVO