Evening star., 1953-03-27
-Four New Bills
.ToAsk PLANNING
.AgencyReforn1s
Modified Measure
Defeated in House
By 63-36 Vote
r., Hnn. HL,:
by Gene GOODWIN
Stor Stcff coyresnondenf

St1r Stoff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 27.-Bloody
but unbowed, Montgomery Coun-
tvs House delegation planned
today to make another stab at
reforming the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission.
They were to introduce four
new bills aimed at ACCOMPLISH
ing substantially the same re-
forms embodied in a Mont
gomery-Prince Georges County
measure, which House Demo-
Gratis defeated last night, So to
36.
The four new bills will seek
to repeal the commissions
mandatory taxes. put it under
budgetary control of the Mont
gomery Council and the Prince
Georges commissioners, transfer
the Montgomery recreation pro-
gram to the county and provide
county council appointment Of
the three Montgomery members
Of the planning commission.
Unacceptable to Watkins.
The bill defeated by the House
last night had most of the teeth
amended out of it before it came
to the floor. But it Is doubtful
that any of the Democratic op-
ponents of the bill read any Of
the watering down amendments.
1t was enough for them to know
that Robert M. Watkins, chair
man of the planning commits
sion and prominent Prince
Georges County Democrat, found
the bill unacceptable.
The original bill, put in by the
Republican delegates from Mont
gomery and Prince Georges, was
substantially the same as meas
ures defeated by the Legislature
in 1947, 1949 and 1851. Briefly,
it would have abolished the
planning agency and transferred
its functions to the two counties.
The Montgomery. and Prince
Georges sponsors made a valiant
attempt to get the amended bill
through. even though they real
lied the odds were overwhelm-
ingly against them. They banked
on the amendments to win over
Democrats, who vote almost by
habit against any park and
planning commission bills. They
won exactly six Democratic
votes.
Logan Calls Time.
The battle was over, actually,
when House Democratic Major
lty Leader John Logan took the
floor. He had sat quietly by for
about As minutes, listening to
the debate between the two
Prince Georges Democratic dele
gates, Perry o. Wilkinson and
Leroy w. Pumphrey, and their
Republican colleagues.
II have been contacted by MIR.
Watkins" the Majority Leader
declared, land he has said he
cannot support this bill"
Then he told about another
planning commission bill, intro
duced by the two Montgomery
and Prince Georges Senators. It
would extend the commission
throughout the two counties and
make some reforms in its flnan-
cial procedures, but would retain
1t as an independent, State
agency, free from control Of
either county.
"The Prince Georges and
Montgomery Senators have told
me that their bill is acceptable
to Mr.. Watkins" said Mr.. Logan.
1T would seem to me to be a
happier solution, therefore, to
defeat this House BILL
Commission Objectio Cited.
Before. that, the House was
told by Delegate Robert A. WAL
lace, Republican, of Montgomery
that the only part of the
amended bill the planning com.
mission opposed was the prohibi-
ton calling for it to submit its
budget to the two counties and
allow the county governing
bodies to set the commissions
tax rate.
I'VE want some control over
how much money the Park and
Planning Commission should
spend" Mr.. Wallace asserted.
I'VE want chance to cut our
taxes, If possible" Planning
Commission taxes are now set by
the State Legislature.
Delegate Kathryn j. Lawlor.
Republican, of Montgomery.
said: This bill gives Mont
gomery and Prince Georges
what every other Maryland
county DISSATISFACTION over its
own planning and coming"
In opposition to the bill, Mr..
Wilkinson recalled that not a
single person from his county
appeared at a hearing iii sup
port of the original, more dras-
tic measure.
On the final tally, all six Of
the Montgomery House MEM
bers voted for the bill, but the
Prince Georges delegation was
split equally. Delegate William
r. Hughes, Republican, joined
Mr.. Wilkinson and Mr.. Pum-
phrey in voting against 1t.
R.l Il-V11 Nh1s