Evening star., 1952-03-06
Maryland | Legislature
Ends Session After
Cutting Taxes, BudgeI
J by Ne Assseldisd pr.s. g

/ ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 6.--Mary
land lawmakers packed up 70,
home today. leaving the State.
Ihouse dark but the taxpayer
brighter than they were month
lage
In a roaring finish. the Genera
Assembly closed out the State
second 30-day session at 1858 am
latter adding the last dollar to ;
spending program of 5000 million
Adjournment was so swift thl
fourth annual bid for d veterans
bonus was shut behind the door
LEGISLATORS actually quit almost /
day ahead Of time, as rare to al
periods Of Maryland government
las a tax reduction to the present.
Here are some Of the things thu
lawmakers accomplished:
They slashed the income tas
flor this year. They came within
a few votes of ripping the sales
Itax OF gas. electricity and house
hold fuel bills from next year on
/ $176.5 Million Appropriated.
/ They presented Gov. McKeldir
with a set Of appropriations total.
ling little more than $176.5 mil.
lion. And they asked him and the
Board Of Public Works to pas.
ion to State agencies another cut
of $1,530.000 where it would bs
lmoSt convenient.
j They managed to whittle $310,.
I75O from the budget Gov. Nickel.
Idin originally presented. drawing
most Of the cut from funds fol
welfare and free medical care
but gave UP at that point.
All this. was in addition to the
bond bill. That provided fol
building and improvements al
State institutions.
While they we're voting to spend
all this money, Senators and Dele
gates ordered q is per cent cut
in 1851 income taxes. Maryland
ers will take advantage of the
pocketbook relief on returns due
April Is.
McKeldin Influence Firm.
The session found Republican
McKeldin exercising more in
duence over legislation than some
had thought possible with an
Assembly top-heavy with Demo-
Gratis.
For the first time the Legisla-
ture was able to reconsider bills
rejected by an executive after q
preceding session. Gov. McKeldin
was sustained on the most sensi-
tive issue Of the month"; pay
raise for school teachers.
The Legislature subsequently,
adopted another $500 salary boost
for teachers, but this could not
take effect until the fall Of 1858
lat the earliest.
Gov. McKeldin> was supported
on five other vetoes Of the 81 left
over from last year. None of his
losses really hurt.
Then he was upheld yesterday
on q budget-Saving device close to
his heart. The Senate failed by
one vote to disturb his system for
paying State police expenses from
highway funds, thus liberating
more than 50 million from the
general treasury to help balance
the next budget.
Dispute Resolved.
The Governor also helned
smooth out a ruckus between Bal
timore and Annapolis camps for
new State Office buildings. Balti-
more got $40 million and Annap-
oils So million. which was 81 mil
lion fore than the Governor asked.
Another bill lost in the pre-
adjournment rush was the measure
to open relief rolls to public view,
Ilt had been approved by the House,
but the Senate Judiciary Commit
tee then refused early today to re-
port it out.
Delegate Leroy Humphrey, Dem
|ocrat. OF Prince Georges County
was one Of the bills strongest sup
porters in last nights House de-
Ioate.
I'VE want to see that only the
deserving unfortunates" receive
State welfare funds, he said.
Star Editorials Quoted.
He quoted editorials in The
Evening Star as saying that in
every State where efforts were
made to open relief rolls. the op-
position came principally from
welfare directors, "and it Is the
relief director of this State who
lis heading the fight against this
bill"
For the first time in the his
tory Of the United States" he told
the Delegates, I'VE have erected an
iron curtain behind which we
dump millions of dollars and the
people don't know what happens
to that money"
Peering ahead, legislators this
year also proposed a new style
for future budgets. The voters
must concur at referendum this
November
- nlRs.R