Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-20
Montgomery
Cigarette Tax
Bill Advances
Senate Committee
Approves Measure;
FinuI Action Near
By ChorIes [. Hoffman
Stor Staff Correspondent

By ChorIes [. Hoffman
Stor Staff Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. ia bill
granting the Montgomery County
Council the power to levy a Gig
arctic tax advanced today to
within a step of final enactment.
The measure was reported ia
vorably by the Senate Finance
! Committee and set for final ac-
ton in the Senate early next
week. 1t already has passed the
House.
Bill to Cut Levy Held Up
A House-passed bill to cut the
business and farm inventory
assessments to 60 per cent in
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties was reported favorabiy
by the Senate Finance Commit
tee but was held up as other
counties sought inclusion in its
provisions.
The inventory assessments
now are set at IS per cent in
Montgomery and 100 per cent
in Prince Georges.
The Senate also advanced to
| its third reading-after seven
postponements-a bill authoriS-
ing the State Roads Commission
to build the northeast toll ex-
preSsway.
The measure calls for con-
struction of a toll road running
northeast from Baltim
roughly parallel to u. S. No. 70.
Compromise Talked OF
Meanwhile. there was persist
ent corridor gossip that a COM
promise in the fight over inves-
tigation of the Roads Commis-
sion had been reached by the
minority and majority leader
ship.
Reports Friday night were
that minority leader Robert B.
Kimble of Allegany County. was
ready to support a move to in
crease the Roads Commission
membership from three to five
if the Democrats would drop
their demands for an investiga-
ton of the commission.
The increase had been pre-
posed as an amendment to the
toll road bill but was withdrawn
today by the Senate majority
leadership.
In answer to question on the
floor from Senator H. Winship
Wheatley, jr., of Prince Georges.
today, Mr.. Kimble said he made
no such agreement, and Senate
President Louis L. Goldstein
added that he would not accept
such a proposal.
A spokesman for Gov. Nc
Keldin later said the Governor
would be no party to such an
agreement. -.l
The Senate postponed action
for the tenth, time today on "a
bill to move up one year the ar
nual assessment plan. The plan
now is slated to go into effect in
1856.
Weary Senators also declined
to take up a scheduled debate on
a bill granting home rule TO
municipalities which had been
reported out by the Judiciary
Committee. Consideration of the
bill now has been put off until
Wednesday afternoon.
Will Fight Proposal
Senator Louis N. Phipps, Dem
ocrat, of Anne Arundel. promised
to fight one amendment that
would require approval of county
governing bodies for creation bf
any new Incorporated towns.
Such a proposal, he charged,
could bar establishment of new
towns because of Jealousy" of
county commissioners.
Some 10 amendments already
have been proposed by the JUDI
ciary Committee and several
Senators indicated they had some
of their own to offer.
Another bill advanced to third
reading in the Senate would per
NIT chartered counties to meet
in legislative session As days "a
year. At present the Montgomery
County Council is required to
take care of legislative matters
only during the month of May:
Report Teacher Pay Bill
The Senate Finance Commit
tee reported out bill to ia
crease teacher retirement bene-
fits. Teacher requests were trim
med, however, SO that the cost Of
the benefits would be only $780,
145, instead of more than 81 md
lion as originally proposed.
A hearing scheduled for Tues
day on a House-paSsed bill to
bar truck traffic from the Mary
land controlled section of the
Baltimore Washington express
way was rescheduled for pm.
Friday, Chairman Frederick c.
jr., of the Senate Judi
cial Proceedings Committee an
The hearing, expected to draw
big delegations from the. Prince
Georges area, was postponed be-
cause of a conflict with a hear
ing on So-called "right-to-Work"
bill.