Evening star., 1953-04-07
Planning Tax
Cut, Recreation
Shift Enacted
Home Rule Passed
For Prince Georges;
Liquor Bill Blocked
BY stoff Correspondent Of The Stor

~ q SIoI SOfISSFouoSnI OF bnS oI0B
ANNAPOLIS, April Last
minute agreement was reached
last night on legislation to re-
wise the Maryland National Park
and Planning Commission.
Approved in the closing hours
Of the Maryland General Assem-
bly, was an amended bill, cutting
the agency's administrative tax
in both counties by penny and
repeating the scent recreation
tax in Montgomery.
The bill further provides man.
datory transfer Of the commits
sion's recreation program to
Montgomery County. along with
a $270 900 surplus. The commits
sion and the County Council have
been unsuccessfully negotiating
transfer of the program for two
years under 1851 law.
Stricken from the bill by the
amendments was the provision
to extend the planning commits
sion to the rural areas of both
counties. This would have had
the effect of abolishing the upper
Montgomery County Planning
Commission.
Appointed by Governor.
The commissioners will con-
tinue to be appointed by the
Governor and to have virtually
complete control of the agency's
= finances.
Delegate Harry E. Taylor, jr.,
Republican. of Prince Georges
played the role of peacemaker in
bringing accord on the planning
bill. which had been an explosive
issue all through this session. He
convinced seven other delegates
from the two counties to support
a bill by Senators John R.
Fletcher. Republican, of Prince
Georges and Anders R. Lofstrand,
jr., Republican, of Montgomery
with certain amendments.
The amendments accepted by
the Senators restrict the agency
to it's present jurisdiction over
only the urban area of both
counties and effect the manda-
tory transfer of recreation.
On the final vote, however,
one Montgomery delegate was
VnconpromiSing. Delegate j.
Douglas Bradshaw, Republican,
chairman of the Montgomery
House group. voted against the
amended bill. which passed the
House 84-to-2.
Home Rule Bill Enacted.
Meanwhile, the Assembly en-
acted the So-called home-ruIe
bill, giving the Prince Georges
County commissioners power to
pass ordinances and take many
other actions not now permitted
to them.
Removed from the bill by
amendment, however, was au-
thority for the commissioners to
set up a merit system. Also re-
moved was a provision allowing
a person other than qualified
engineer to head the Depart
ment of Public Works. That was
amended to continue the present
requirement that that post be
filled by qualified engineer.
Senator Fletcher failed in a
last-minute attempt to free the
much-discussed Prince Georges
liquor bill from the House Alco-
holic Beverages mmittee,
where it has been locked up since
it was introduced last week.
The bill was drafted by Ernest |
Loveless, jr., attorney to the
County Liquor Board, after con-
ferences that began last fall. It
would have imposed a slightly
higher freeze on liquor licenses,
banned further tavern licenses,
prohibited new establishments
closer than 1000 feet to a
church or school and restricted
transfers and delivery service.
Senator Fletcher decided
against putting amendments on
a bill enacted today to create a
department of finance for Prince
Georges County. The amend
mentS would have put ceilings on
the salaries of deputies in the
proposed department.
The Senator said that if he had
put the amendments on the bill
it would have had to go back to
the House for concurrence, and
he was certain the two Prince
Georges Democratic Delegates
would have persuaded the Demo-
cratic majority to kill the bill.
He added that he had assur-
ances from County Treasurer
Julian B. Mckay that the sal
aries would not be made any
higher than the ceilings the
amendments would have i'm
posed.
Other Bills Enacted.
Other Montgomery and Prince
Georges bills enacted in the
closing day of the Legislature in
cluded measures to:
Grant three washington Suburban
Sanitary commissioners pay raises of
Authorize an $500. 900 bond issue to
finance a New Prince Georges Jail.
Permit . referendum on Scent fire
tax in unincorporated area Of Chillum
election district of Prince Georges.
Set ITpo..s Up 6-knot speed limit on
increase the pay Of Montgomery Ju-
yenile Court Judge from $500 to
elected every four years
Put the two Prince Georges trial mag
istrates on full-time basis, increase their
salaries to $1,000 q year and formalize
court procedures.
Reorganize the administration Of
Prince Georges Hospital to put under
nine-memher board Of directors, with no
Authorizes Expense Account.
$1,000 for the president Of Prince
for the four other commissionerS.-
Authorize HyattSville to borrow up to
S125,000 for off-Street parking.
Authorize Riverdale to annex adjacent
land to north, including the site of
Engineering Research Corp, providing,
however. that ERGO pay $4,000 year
" Authorize nSi sAHs referendum in the 4th, 5th
and 9th districts Of College Park on .
special assessment Of So for each i'm
proved property to finance a new
Branchville fre house and North Col