Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-29
Municipal Group
To Air Proposal
For Maryland
By GENE GOODWIN
Star stan Correspondent :

OCEAN CITY, Md, June 29.-
Proposals to further liberalize
the broad home rule powers re-
Gently granted to Maryland cities
and towns were due for consid-
GRAFTON today by the Maryland
Municipal League.
The league is holding its
eighth annual summer confer
ence here. About $50 officials
from some SIS municipalities are
attending.
Spurred by assurance from
State Senate President Louis L.
Goldstein that the General AS
semhly would "give every con-
sideration" to the leagues rec
concentrations for amendment
to the new municipal home rule
law, the conference prepared to-
day to take a stand on several
changes proposed by municipal
officials.
Municipal home rule was
granted in Maryland by a con-
stitutional amendment adopted
by the voters in November, 1854.
Ask Easier Annexation
One of the proposed amend
Iments under consideration here
would make it easier for munici-
IpalitieS to annex new territory
by removing a requirement that
annexation have the approval Of
owners of rs per cent of the
property in the territory to be
annexed.
Some League officials feel this
requirement not only is undemo-
cratic but it is virtually impos-
sible to administer. The proposal
would not change the laws re-
quirement that rs per cent of the
registered voters in the would-be
annexed area approve the an
nexation move before it can be
started.
Another proposal would pro-
hibit ''hopscotch" annexation
that HyattSville practiced last
spring in jumping across q
stretch of unincorporated land to
annex five-acres near North
western High School.
4 Additional Proposals
Other proposed amendments
being considered here would:
/. Remove the veto powers
that county commissioners now
have over new interpretations.
(This may become an issue II
anything comes of a move to
incorporate the Chillum area Of
Prince Georges County,
/ 2. Grant municipalities un-
limited powers to levy new taxes
and fees. The law now restricts
municipalities to the type of,
taxes that they were 1evying on
January /, 1854, unless the leg
Iislature specifically authorizes
new ones.
8. Give municipalities the
same powers to change local laws
as now have to amend their own
charters without going to the
legislatures.
Back Compulsory Insurance
In outlining the work of the
Legislative Council which is Wis
iting the league conference here
as part of an Eastern Shore
tour, Senator Goldstein urged
support for a compulsory auto
mobile insurance law in Mary.
land.
"Over 100000 motor vehicles
/ in Maryland carry no insurance"
Senator Goldstein said. ANY
man who can pay $4,000 to S., 900
for a car, can certainly afford
insurance"
He said another subcommittee
lis considering legislation to reg
Iulate thousands of small boats
in Maryland that are now free
of any regulation.
Will Investigate Pollution
Tomorrow, he said. he and
House Speaker John c. Luber
will name a committee to in
Ivestigate pollution and other
problems connected with the Po-
Itomac River.
you have to go down to lower
Charles County or st. Marys
County to get into the Potomac
River and enjoy yourself. be-
cause that river is so dirty"
Senator Goldstein added.
Senator Butler. Republican Of
Maryland, was scheduled to
speak yesterday but he sent his
Legislative assistant, Ernest Bay
nard, to explain that the Sena-
tor had to stay in Washington
for the foreign aid debate and
a committee vote on the Simon
Sobeloff judgeship confirmation.
Mr.. Baynard read the Sena-
tors speech, which calls for a
Ilong-range comprehensive study
by a Hoover type" commission
lin an effort to bring order out
of chaos and remove the inequal-
titles and inequities that so char
acterize the Federal income tax
laws"
Mr.. Buffers Democratic oppo-
nent in the general election this
November. Willard E. Tydings,
also cancelled his scheduled APP
pearance before the league be-
calse he is still under treatment