Evening star., 1953-09-06
Group Urges Change
In Method Of Pickinq
a Maryland Officials
By the Assoeicted Press

BALTIMORE, Sept. 5.-The
State controller and the attor-
ney general of Maryland, now
elected by the people, would be
made appointees Of the Gov
ernor under proposals advanced
today by the Commission on Ad-
ministrative Organization of the
State.
The State treasurer also would
be appointed by the Governor,
under the commissions recon-
mendations. The State auditor
should be a "staf officer of the
legislature, selected by and re-
porting to it,"
The treasurer is now named
by the Legislature, the auditor
by the Governor.
Final in Series Of IL.
The report, 18th and final in
a series submitted by the COM
mission, envisioned the Governor
States affairs" with other ex-
ecutive officers, including the
attorney general and the con-
troller, as members of his staff
and responsible to him.
IF the Governor is to be held
responsible for the conduct of
the States activities" the re-
port said. "the organizational
structure should be Simplified. .
This involves elimination Of
overlapping duties and author
ity, and the consolidation into
one agency of allied functions.
"It also involves the making
Of all administrative agencies,
some of which now operate in
dependently, a part of the execu-
tive branch of government and
as much directly responsible and
reporting to the Governor"
But the Governor, in order to
meet his responsibilities as chief
executive, must be provided with
adequate staff facilities" the re-
port went on.
It said the Office of Secretary
of State should either be abol-
ished or compensation provided
in an amount that such an officer
could be required to be an active
and responsible official on the
Governors staff"
Responsible to Governor.
The Controller and the Treas
urer, the report added, "are a
part of the executive branch and
should report to and be respon-
sible to the Governor, instead of
being executive officers to a large
degree indie pendent Of the chief
executive"
Undoubtedly" the report said,
"the Governors Office is grossly
under stated he should have
aides to maintain contact with
operating departments .. to
determine whether the policies
of the administration are being
carried out, to interpret these
policies to the departments and
bureaus, and to check on the
efficiency of their operations"
1.-THE Attorney General should
be appointed" the report con-
tended, "by the Cover nor and
should be an important member
of his staff. But he is elected and
consequently cannot be regarded
as a staff officer"
Along with changes in the
method of selection, the commits
sion also envisioned a revision
of the duties of the three top
fiscal officers.
Duties of Controller.
The controllers Office, now
largely a tax-collecting agency,
would, under the commissions
recommendations, stick to ac-
counting and pre-auditing of
State expenditures. The tax col
lecting function would be CEN
tralized either in the treasury
department or in a separate de-
partment of revenue.
The auditor would review the
operations of various State
agencies to see that thCv are
being conducted in conformity
with the laws and policies of
the State" and would be re-
sponsible to the legislature.
At present, the treasurer has
charge of borrowing, custody and
disbursement of State funds.
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