Evening star., 1953-02-10
Delegates Vote
Yearly Entry
OF Assessments
Bill Sent to Senate:
Would Lift County
Borrowing Power
By Gene Goodwin
Stor Stoff Correspondent


ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 10.-A bill
to thaw out the three-year freeze
on borrowing power in Maryland
counties next year was sent to
the State Senate today, after
passing the House of Delegates,
30 votes to II. .
There was a furry of debate
on the measure last year when
1t faced the House.
Delegate Joseph v. Mach,
Democrat, chairman Of the Ball
timore City delegation. labeled
the bill very vague class
legislation =. unconstitutional. |"
But the measure was supports
ed by Majority Leader John w.
Logan. Delegate A. Gordon
Boone. Democrat, Of Baltimore
County, and William s.. James,
Democrat, Of Hartford.
City Delegation Split.
When the vote was taken Mr..
Mach's position was supported
by only eight of the IS Balti-
more City Democrats and three
other delegates. John w. Hall,
Republican. Of Calvert: Elmer
M. Quade. Republican, of
Charles. and Myrtle A. Polk,
Democrat. Of Worcester.
The bill, prodded through the
Legislative Council by the Mont
gomery County Council, would
permit counties and Baltimore
City to continue to record new
assessments annually, under the
new three-year cycle of assess
mentS going into effect next
year. Re-asSessments now are
made in five-year cycles.
Unless counties are allowed to
record assessments annually,
their ceilings on bonded intedbt-
edness would be frozen for three
years until the new assessments
could be put on the books. since
borrowing power is based on
total assessments.
Could Halt New Schools.
To some counties, such as
Montgomery. the freeze would
virtually halt school construction
and other capital improvements.
Montgomery is just under its
debt limit now. The only way
the building programs could be
continued would be to pay for
them out Of taxes, which would
have to rise to fantastic heights.
Byrds and birds came in for
attention Ut the Legislature last
hight.
+ Senator Bernard S. Melnicove,
Democrat. of Baltimore City,
said State Senator Harry F.
Byrd. jr., Of Virginia has agreed
to come here next Tuesday to
testify before the Senate Finance
Committee.
Senator Byrd is to explain the
plan he drew up In Virginia to
give taxpayers automatic tax
cuts when State surpluSes reach
a certain point. Senator Melin-
cove and 10 other Democratic
Senators have sponsored q bill
here to give similar tax relief
to Marylanders.
DIR. Byrd to Testify.
Another Byrd, DR.. H. C. Byrd,
president of the University of
Maryland. also is scheduled to
be here that day to appear be-
fore the House Education Com
mittee. He will testify on pend
ing legislation to repeal the
broad home rule" powers
granted the university last year.
Judge William p. Cole, jr.,
chairman of the university's
Board Of Regents, also has been
invited to appear.
The House last night, after
good-natured debate. approved
a bill to remove the ban on
the importation and sale Of par
rots. parakeets, love birds and
other birds Of the psittacine
family
Delegate c. Clifton Virts, DEM
ocrat, of Frederick County
wanted to know if the bill had
anything to do with the famous
University of Maryland Byrd"
II guess so." quipped Delegate
Boone. Its supposed to apply
to broad-billed birds"