Evening star., 1954-05-30
@ SIITR EDIIZ....',
Lane Blasts
MckeIdin' S
Fiscal Record
Declares Dr.. Byrd
Is Best Qualified
To Bring Reforms
By the Assoeiosed Press

BALTIMORE, May 2s.-wil-
liam Preston Lane. jr., who used
to be Governor Of Maryland,
heaped criticism todav on Gov.
McKeldin on behalf Of DR.. H. C.
Byrd, who wants to succeed Gov.
McKeldin.
Mr.. Lane said he believes DR..
Byrd "is the best equipped can
kdidate to bring an end to the
irresponsible and reckless man.
ner in which Gov. McKeldin has
handled the States finances"
Mr.. Lane himself drew broad
side from Hugo r. Hoffman, who
is managing George P. Ma
honey'S campaign against DR..
Byrd for the Democratic nomi-
nation for governor.
Mr.. Hoffman said an earlier
Lane statement confirmed the
fact that Jack Pollack, the po-
litical ally of DR.. H. c. Byrd,
is making an all-out drive for
city-wide dominance in this pri-
mary campaign"
McKeldin Holds Fire.
Gov. McKeldin. facing chal-
lenges' by three Republicans in
his bid for denomination. was the
only major candidate who held
his fire as the primary campaign
entered its last month.
lone of the most important
reasons I am supporting DR.. H. c.
Byrd" said Mr.. Lane, "is that I
believe that he is the best
equipped candidate to bring an
end to the irresponsible and
reckless manner in which Gov.
McKeldin has handled the States
finances"
"It will be remembered that
Gov. McKeldin, when a candi-
date against me Gin 1950). criti-
cized my budget as too large and
extravagant, promised to reduce
the appropriations, to reduce
taxes and even to attempt to
eliminate the sales tax complete
ly," said Mr.. Lane.
HE also promised a lot Of
State improvements in various
fields. He was elected on those
promises.
My last budget totaled $780,.
$4,000. Gov. McKeldin's
first budget was more than
$40 million over mine. And there
have been heavy increases every
year since. His last budget, to
begin on July /, is $237 ,384 900
or $50. .566.000 more than my last
budget"
Surplus Nearly Gone.
The former governor added
that McKeldin had spent or
appropriated to be spent half
again as much as was spent dur
ing Lanes administration.
"Of course, Gov. McKeldin
never made an effort to reduce
the sales tax" Mr.. Lane added.
". worse than that, when I
went out of Office, I left the
State a comfortable surplus of
$12, ,731 900. Practically all that
is now gone, too"
The next governor is already
faced with a deficit of SIG million
for the fiscal year begininning
July l. 1855, said Mr.. Lane.
I'm that fiscal year there will
be no revenue from gross receipts
taxes on utilities, because it
was used to balance the 1855
budget" he said.
There will be no surplus I.
the loss to the State from re-
distribution of liquor receipts will
be $9l5,000, and decreases due
to exemptions from the sales tax
will be 100000. The provisions
for increased teachers salaries
will require an additional SO $780,
900, and increased aid to schools
will cost an additional $2,207 900.
Il believe that DR.. Byrd, with
his long and successful expert
ence as head Of the University Of
Maryland is the most likely of all
the candidates to solve this
serious problem to be left by
Gov. McKeldin when he is voted
out of Office in November of this
year." Mr.. Lane concluded.