Evening star., 1953-03-25
NewBi||0ffered
For Revamping
Plans Agency
Fletcher-Lofstrund
Measure Preserves
Park Commission
By Gene Goodwin
Stor Sfcff CORRESPONDENT

ANNAHO11S, Mar. Z0.-I0e
dispute over legislation to revise
the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
was blown sky high today, with
the introduction of a completely
new bill by the two Montgomery
and Prince Georges County Sen
atorS.
That means there are now two
park and planning bills before
the General Assembly-one in
the Senate and one in the House.
The bill the Senators put in
today would effect certain re-
forms in the 25-year-old plan
ming agency, but would retain
it as an independent State COM
mission and extend its jurisdic-
tion throughout the two coun-
ties.
Introduction of the measure,
f1rst proposed by the Senators
when the controversy was at a
fever pitch early this month,
apparently signifies they are re-
jecting compromise proposals by
some of the House members
from their countries.
Amendments Proposed.
bcom m ittee of Prince
Georges and Montgomery dele
gates, in Monday night proposed
several amendments to water
down the bill that had been in
troduced by the joint delegations
early in the session to abolish
the commission and transfer all
of its functions to Prince Georges
and Montgomery. The Sena-
tors. r. Fletcher, Republican,
or Prince Georges and Anders R.
Lofstrand, jr., Republican, of
Montgomery - were dead set
against the original House meas
ure.
Briefly, the Fletcher-LofStrand
measure would make these re-
forms in the commission: The
administrative tax would be cut
from 4 to 3 cents; the admins
trative and park taxes would be
reduced automatically when
ever surpluses reached q certain
point; the scent Montgomery
recreation tax would be abolished
and the program transferred to
the county; public budget hear
ings would be required and the
commission would have to fur
I1iSh reports of its technical staff
whenever it made zoning recon-
iEnepdatiors to the two counties.
=. Governor sAppOintees.
The six commissioners would
continue to be appointed by the
Governor.
Many of these features were
contained in the amendments
put forth by the delegates sub
committee. However, the dele
gates proposed placing the COM
mission under the budgetary
control Of the Montgomery
Council and the Prince Georges
commissioners, and that seemed
to be chief objection the Sen
ators had against the proposed
amendentS.
Generally, it can be said the
difference between the Fletcher
LofStrand bill and the House
Subcommittee's amendments is
that the Senators would strive
to retain-if not strengthen
the planning commission as an
independent, State agency. The
subcommittee amendments still
sought to achieve the main pur-
pose of the original House BILL
that of transferring control of
the agency to the two counties.
There were indications that
the Montgomery delegates have
but faint hope that their
amended planning agency bill
will get anywhere.
Separate Measure.
Yesterday, they introduced q
measure requested by many of
the, towns to require the COM
mission to submit staff reports
with its zoning recommends
tions. That provision is in their
overall planning commission bill
and in the new Fletcher2Lof-
strand measure.
Mr.. Fletcher, meanwhile,
moved to obtain another Circuit
Court judge for his county. He
prepared to offer an amendment
to a bill now progressing through
the, Senate to grant new judge
ships to several counties, includ-
ing Montgomery and st. Marys.
The bill would provide that
the Governor, upon recon-
mediation of the county State
Central Committees, would ap-
point the new Montgomery and
Prince Georges judges next year
to serve until the 1855 election,
when they would be chosen by
the voters. Mr.. Fletcher'S
amendment, in effect, would
raise the total of Circuit Court
judges in the 7th circuit-Prince
Georges, st. Marys, Charles and
Calvert CountieS-from three to
five.
Delegate Harry E. Taylor, jr.,
Republican, of Prince Georges
introduced his much-diScuSsed
measure to provide kinder
gartens in his county for 4-to-6-
year -old children whose parents
are willing to pay part Of the
bill.
The Prince Georges delegation
introduced q bill to authorize
the county commissioners to
borrow up to 100000 for a new
county Jail.
0j Senator Fletcher introduced
an unusual measure to incorpo-
rate the community of Carroll
ton, of the Defense highway
near Lanham. ~
Construction has just barely
begun on the community, which
will have about 600 homes. The
Senator said he introduced thG
bill at the request of the devel.
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