Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-02
Building Budget
For MARYLAND
Cut 81 Million
Capitol Improvement
Reduction to Leave
Taxes Unaffected
By Gene Goodwin
Stor Stuff CORRESPONDENT

Ssor Stuff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 1.-THE
budget-pruning committees of
the Maryland Legislature have
agreed to trim a big $2,170,350
chunk from Gov. McKeldin's $40
million capital improvement pro-
gram for the next fiscal year.
The House was scheduled to
adopt the cuts today.
They were approved by the
Senate on a voice vote late last
night, after a handful of Sena-
tors failed in attempts to restore
appropriations on their pet
projects.
The capital improvement
SlasheS, agreed upon by the
Senate Finance Committee and
the House Ways and Means Com
mittee, will have no effect on tax
rates in the next fiscal year.
Budget Back to House.
Earlier the Senate. with con-
siderable agony, passed the Gov
ernor'S record $237 million oper-
ating budget for next fiscal year.
That didn't enact it, however,
because the upper chamber
tackled on an amendment re-
curing House concurrence.
The amendment. proposed by
Senate Majority Leader Louis L.
Goldstein. would require the De-
partment of Research and Edu-
cation to open up SolomonS Is
land pier to general public use.
The pier is now closed for the
exclusive use of the department.
The budget already has passed
the House but must go back
there for reconsideration today,
because the Senate refused to
accept a House amendment. The
amendment would have lowered
the gross receipts tax on rail-
roads to bring them in line with
the levy paid by public utilities,
chief payers of the tax.
Chief Cuts in Bill.
Here are some of the chief
cuts proposed by the Senate
and House committees in the
capital improvements budget:
/. University of Maryland
New journal building, cut from
$400 1000 to $3.50. 900: administra-
ton annex, cut from $500, 900 to
$250.00O Calvert Hall dormitory
renovation. cut from $4,000 to
$4,000. and new pharmacy
building in Baltimore, cut from
$500, 900 to $4,000
2. Brownsville State Hospital
New medical building. cut from
81 million to $750,00O. y
8. Motor Vehicles Department
in Baltimore-Cut out $4,000
for air conditioning.
After all the cuts were made,
the House and Senate commit
tees decided there would be room
for a SOS, 900 item the Governor
hadn't included.
- 1t would go for restoration Of
the Charles County grave and
manor house Of Maj. Gen. Will
liam Smallwood, Washington's
chief of staff during the Revolu-
tionary War.
Veterans Bonus Fight.
Meanwhile. sponsors of two
separate veterans bonus meas
ures in the House and Senate
were set to force a vote today.
The PhoebuS Senate bill got a
favorable report from the Senate
Finance Committee last night By
an 8-4 vote. A midnight snarl
over the timetable for House and
Senate passage of the budget,
however, caused action on the
report to be put over until today.
House bonus sponsors got their
bill approved by a voice vote on
second reading last night, after
petitioning it out of committee.
Their bill would provide a refer
endum on a bonus for World
War I and II and Korean veter-
ans. financed by an increase in
the sales tax Of from 2 to 3 per
cent.
They may have killed their
own bill by their eagerness, how
ever.
House Democratic Majority
Leader c. Awdry Thompson said
a money bill of that sort passed
before the budget is finally
enacted is unconstitutional.
The Senate completed action
on its bill to postpone for one
year the automobile license in
creases scheduled to go into eff
feet next year. The measure
was approved, 20-S. The Senate
measure now goes to the House,
where an identical bill has
passed two readings and is ready
for final vote.
Other Measures.
The House last night enacted
an exemption proposed by SEN
ator Phipps. Democratic, of
Anne Arundel, for the property
tax Of all boats under 100 feet
long.
The House also voted 99-2 to
prohibit courts from suspending
the first three days Of a Jail
sentence for drunken driving.
The delegates then refused to
approve granting licenses to sell
liquor to airlineS.
They voted 81 to 8 in favor Of
q resolution commencing the
Board Of Motion Picture Cen
SorS.