Evening star., 1953-01-04
Montgomery Group
Plans Legislative
Action in Assembly
By Gene Goodwin

ACnOn IN Assembly
By Gene Goodwin
Montgomery County's delegation
to the Maryland General Assem-
bly, is out to set precedents this
year with several proposals for
basic reorganization Of the county
government.
The 1853 session of the Legis-
lature will open in Annapolis
Wednesday.
Probably the most controversial
bill is the fourth edition of al
measure to abolish the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission and transfer its
functions to the County Council.
The Montgomery delegation
tried three times to get such a
measure through the legislature
in 1947, 1949 and 1851. It's
never gotten out Of committee.
| similar TO 01 BILL.
j. Douglas Bradshaw, chairman
of the all-Republ1can delegation.
said the bill to be introduced this
year will be substantially the same
as the 1851 measure. Under that
proposal. the bi-county planning
commission, long dominated by
Democrats. would be split into
Prince Georges and Montgomery
sections with the functions Of the
latter section being transferred
to the county. The county thus
would be permitted to expand its
present Upper Montgomery County
Planning Commission to the en-
tire county.
The 1851 bill also set up a BIZ
county planning authority. con-
sisting of three representatives
from each county, to supervise
broad planning projects and en-
able the two counties to continue
to receive Federal Caper- -Cramton
funds for parkway development.
Suburban Sanitary Bill.
Another drastic proposal which
the Montgomery delegation may
try to write into law is one to
transfer the Washington Sub
urban Sanitary Commission from
State to local control. A measure
transferring authority to appoint
members of the commission from
the Governor to Prince Georges
and Montgomery was heavily
amended in the 1851 session and
finally vetoed by Gov. McKeldin
because he considered it unconsti-
|tutional.
Mr.. Bradshaw said the delega-
tion will decide about re-introduc-
ing the bill after it hears what
the Sobeloff Commission has to
say about that agency and the
park and planning commission.
Would Drop Lindsay Law.
The delegation also plans to
seek repeal of the Lindsay law in
order to permit non-partisan local
elections for the County Council.
The repeater also is a three-time
loser. having been defeated in
1947. 1949 and 1851.
The Lindsey law was passed in
1945, when Montgomery was en-
tangled in conflict over adoption
of home-rule charter and when |
its delegation to the Assembly
was Democratic. The law pro-
videS that in counties adopting
the charter form of government, |
non partisan elections for the
County Council shall be prohibited.
Another important bill is one
suggested by the County Council.
1t would allow Baltimore City and
Maryland counties to make
changes in property assessments
every year. The bill is in the
form of an amendment to a re-
cent law setting up a three-year
cycle OF assessments to replace the
present five-year cycle. The new
law goes into effect in January,
1854.
Bond Ceiling Involved.
| The Montgomery Council noted
that unless it could place it's re-
assessments on the books every
year. the ceiling on the amount
of bonds the county may sell
would be frozen by three-year
periods.
Two major bills dealing with
the courts are being considered.
One. which is definitely scheduled
for introduction. according to Mr.
Bradshaw. would give the county
la third circuit court judge. The
delegation is awaiting a report
from the county Bar Association
before drafting a bill to estab-
lish Peoples Court. similar
to that existing in Baltimore City.
Mr.. Bradshaw said he favored
Ia comprehensive. five-day-a-week
Peoples Court to replace the pres
ent Juvenile Court and three mag
istrate courts. His idea is to have
three judges on the proposed
court, one to handle criminal and
civil cases. another for juvenile
cases and a third to concentrate
entirely on traffic.
IS13 MiIIinns C1amhIed