Evening star., 1953-03-18
City
Idea Headed for
Special Study
General Assembly
Resolution to Ask
For Authorization
By Gene Goodwin
Stur Stotf Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. ia reso-
luton to create a commission to
study the proposal for incorpo-
rating urban Prince Georges
County into one Maryland City"
today was ready for introduction
in the Maryland General AS
sembly.
Delegate Albert R. Hassall, Re-
publican, chairman of the Prince
Georges delegation here, said the
resolution will be placed before
the entire delegation for ap-
proval. probably today. He ex-
pressed confidence that the
delegation will agree to sponsor it.
If it is introduced, it will be
the first concrete legislative ac-
ton on the Maryland City idea
since it was first proposed as a
newspaper promotion stunt 26
years ago. The county Chamber
of Commerce has kept the pro-
posal alive through the years,
but it has never gotten anywhere.
Taken by Surprise.
The proposed study commission
is in line with a recent cham
ber recommendation. Chamber
officials first proposed last year.
as they often have in the past.
that legislation be introduced to
incorporate all of the suburban
area of Prince Georges defined
by the Census Bureau as urban
into one city, subject to a ref
erendum. However. chamber
officials were so taken by sur
prise when the county legisla-
tors took a serious interest in
the idea that they were unable
to furnish a detailed plan or a
bill. 1t was then they suggested
a commission to study the COM
plicated and explosive proposal.
The resolution now being con-
Sidered would direct the county
commissioners to name a COM
mittee of 81 residents of the So
called regional district of the
county Ito make a thorough in
veStigation and study of the
feasibility and advisability of
inStituting a consolidated and
more efficient and economical
form of local government for all
or some part of the regional dis
trict of Prince Georges County,"
Report Before 1855.
The resolution would require
the commission to report by De-
cember /, 1854, to the General
Assembly convening in Janu-
ary, 1855. The commissioners
also would be directed to give
the commission an expense ac-
count of from $4,000 to $4,000.
Meanwhile, the Prince Georges
legislators set hearing for $3.50
pm. Tuesday. on three key
county bills. They are the
measures to give the county
commissioners broad home rule
powers, create. new department
of finance and to increase the
school board from three to seven
with one member be-
ing a county commissioner.
The Prince Georges County
Civic Federation asked the hear
ing on the finance and home rule
bill, after Federation President
Walter F.. Mulligan found OBJ
jectionS in the finance bill which
he said made it dangerous legis-
lation. Senator John r.
Fletcher. Republican, of Prince
Georges, said yesterday, how
ever. he has drawn up amend
ments to take care of most Of
Mr.. Mulligan's objections.
Ceilings on Salaries.
The amendments would put
ceilings on the salaries of the
treasurer's secretary and three
deputies proposed in the bill.
The civic leader had pointed out
that the measure provided
that the four employees
should be paid mot less than"
a certain amount.
One other objection raised by
Mr.. Mulligan was not included
in the senator's amendments.
He also protested a provision to
exempt the treasurer's secretary
from county personnel regula-
tionS.
Purpose Of the bill, presented
by County Treasurer Julian B.
Mckay. would be to consolidate
the present county assessors Of
flee and controllers Office, under
a new and enlarged treasurer's
Office.
A bill to reduce the inventory
tax in Prince Georges by so per
cent hit a snag last night, when
the House, in doubt as to
whether it was a local measure,
decided to refer it to the Ways
and Means Committee.
The bill, when introduced by
Delegates Perry o. Wilkinson,
Democrat, and j. Frank Lillard,
jr., Republican, both of Prince
Georges, had been referred to
the county delegation, as is the
custom with purely local bills. ,
The delegation had reported it
favorably, and it was up for final
House passage last night. It
failed to receive the necessary
81 votes. the tally having been
1928.
Referred to Another Group.
Then Delegate A. Gordon
Boone, Democrat, of Baltimore
County raised the question Of
whether the bill shouldn't have
been before Ways and Means,
which earlier in the session
killed a Wilkinson-Lillard move
10 abolish the Statewide inven-
tory tax entirely in Prince
Georges.
His motion to send it to that
committee carried by q voice
vote.
The new bill would amend
State Iaw IN a1I0w priyca