Evening star., 1953-03-07
Library Aid Bill
Delayed byP|an
To Slash Grant
Fletcher Declines
To Be Discouraged
By RecommittoI
By Gene Goodwin
StoT Staff CorTeSnondant

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. IA Dill
before the Maryland General
Assembly to increase State aid
to Libraries was faltering but far
from dead today.
State Senator j. R. Fletcher,
Republican, Of Prince Georges,
co-SponSor, said he is not dis
couraged by Senate action yes
terday in recommitting the bill
to its Finance Committee. He
said he is confident the COM
mittee will report back on it
quickly and favorably, with an
amendment that will soothe the
opposition.
The amendment would pro-
vide for a 20-cent per capita
State grant to Baltimore City
and the counties to assist in
providing books for libraries. The
original bill, put in by Senator
Fletcher and Senator Omar D.
Crothers. jr.. Democrat. of Cecil
County, called for a Accent per
capita grant.
13 Counties Participate.
The 13 counties in the State
library system now receive from
2 to 8 cents per capita in State
aid and must levy a library tax
Of 2 cents to qualify.
Recommital of the bill yester-
day came after Senator D. K.
Mclaughlin. Republican, of
Washington County, attacked it
as bad legislation" inspired by
DR.. Thomas G. Pullen, jr.. State
superintendent of schools.
The bill, he said, would put
"all Libraries under domination
of the Board of Education" That
board administers State aid to
libraries and sets up standards
for those Libraries in the State
system.
The Senator said he opposed
further centralization of gov
ernment, with the State doing
things that should be purely
local." His county is one of 13
that has elected to be under the
State library system.
Sees Extra Cost.
Senator Fletcher told report
ers that increasing State library
aid to 20 cents in the 13 coun-
ties and Baltimore City would
cost the State an additional
$403, 900. If the other 10 coun-
ties chose to come into the sys-
tenn, that cost would rise to
$4,000, he said.
In Prince Georges County.
which is one of 13 in the State
system, the increase to 20 cents
per capita would mean that the
county library system would re-
ceive about $4,000. compared
to the $7.767 it is getting this
year under a 2-cent per capita
grant.
Montgomery is one of 10 coun-
ties not in the State system and
would not benefit.
Senate action on the bill to
provide that State surpluSeS be
used to provide automatic tax
reductions was put of until
Tuesday.
Democratic Majority Leader
Louis L. Goldstein asked for the
delay because of what he called
confusion as to the effect of a
new amendment to make the act
effective in 1855 instead of 1854.
Opinions Requested.
Senator Goldstein said he has
requested opinions on that mat
ter from Gov. McKeldin and
State fiscal officers.
Senator Goldstein, Calvert
County Democrat. at the same
time, introduced a bill proposing
to give Baltimore City and the
counties 20 per cent of the State
sales tax, based on how much
each political subdivision collects.
Practically all other State taxes
are distributed to the counties
and Baltimore City through the
so-called Sherbow formula, he
said.
His bill, based on 1852 sales tax
collections, would mean an addi-
tional $3S0.422 in annual revenue
for Montgomery County. $225 800
for Prince Georges, $4,000 for
Calvert, $50, 6,899 for Charles, $685.
286 for st. Marys and $129,590
for Frederick.