Evening star., 1953-04-07
Assembly Votes
Big Roads Plan,
Then Adjourns
$242 Million Fund .
Okoyed in Maryland ;
Tox Cut Bill Killed
By Gene Goodwin
StoF Stoff Correspondent

SfoT ofotf correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, April THE
Maryland General Assembly ad-
journed early this morning after
authorizing the State Roads
Commission to spend $242 mil
lion in four years as a start on
a 12-year program designed to
make Maryland roads as modern
as any in the Nation.
Before acting on the roads
program at $50 this morning
the legislators killed an auto
matte tax reduction program,
similar to that operating in Vir-
ginia, and reached a last-minute
agreement on legislation to re-
wise the Maryland-N National Cap
ital Park and Planning Com
mission.
Billion Outlay Possible.
If the Legislature goes along
with the State Highway Depart
ment's 12-year program, close to
a billion dollars will be spent by
the State and the counties from
their individual share of high
way taxes.
The $242 million four-year
program calls for expenditure Of
$130 million on State primary
highways and the rset on second
ary roads.
The money will come from a
penny increase in the gasoline
tax, effective July /. The State
tax is now 5 cents a gallon. A
proposed increase in auto license
tag fees would be deferred until
1855.
Says He'll ReintrOduce 1t.
After the tax reduction bill
was defeated, Senator John
Grason Turnbull. Democrat, of
Baltimore County, one of the
II sponsors of the bill, said he
will reintroduce it next year.
However, Maryland taxpayers
are assured of a Is per cent cut
this year. A bill for this reduc-
ton already has been enacted.
Gov. McKeldin praised the
House for blocking enactment
of hasty legislation, patterned on
that Of another State, which
seriously would have distorted
the Maryland financial picture
without accomplishing any of
the good which its sponsors in
tended"
Cuts One Tax, Ends Another.
Under the laSt-minute agree
ment the Maryland ational
Park and Planning Commissions
administrative tax was cut by /
cent, and the scent recreation
tax in Montgomery was repealed.
Transfer of the recreation pro-
gram from the commission to-
Montgomery County is provided
in the bill.
Stricken was a provision to
extend to the commission to the
rural areas of both counties, and
thus abolish the Upper Mont
gomery County Planning Com
mission.
The commissioners will con-
tinue to be appointed by the
Governor and to have virtually
complete control of the agency's
finances.
Home Rule Approved.
The So-called home-rule bill
for Prince Georges County was
enacted. It gives the commits
sionerS power to pass ordinances
and take many other actions not
now permitted to them. Removed
from the bill, however, was au-
thoMty for the commissioners
to set up a merit system.
The legislators approved a bill
requested py montgomery County
to allow counties to put reasSess-
mentS on their tax books every
year. County officials have said
that without the new provision
their borrowing power would be
frozen for three years after a
new assessment law takes effect.
This would hamper the school
building program, they asserted.
Among other measures enacted
was a bill proposing a constitu-
tional amendment to permit new
Circuit Court judges in Mont
gomery, Prince Georges and four
other counties. The act will
have to be approved by the voters
of tho TNn1lc IN 1nEA