Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-02-16

felt able to teSti-
fly under oath MIR. LEE
that he secured MN LEE
suspension of rules when the bill
passed second reading in the SEN
ate last March, in accordance with
a constitutional requirement. The
Senate Journal showed no SuS-
pension, but the Journal can be
rebutted by direct testimony.
However, Sen. Wheatley said he
couldn't swear to it. Without a
firm commitment from him, it
would have been foolhardy to
pass the bills over the veto and
thereby jeopardiZe the functioning
and future bond issues of the
commission.
We have appointed joint sub
committee to prepare new bills
for introduction at the earliest
opportunity. / named Warren
Browning and William Wheeler
to represent Montgomery County
on the subcommittee.
3. The bill authorizing the coun-
Gil to levy a cigarette tax has
passed over the veto, thanks to
an assist from Gilbert Guide in
the House and some very good
maneuvering by Ed Northrop in
the senate. This tax, when levied,
will take some of the pressure
off of the real estate tax.
d. Both houses OVERRIDE the We
to of my bill to require that farm
land be assessed as such and not
as if subdivided. The purpose is
to induce some of our farmers to
stay in the farming business
rather than go into real estate
speculation. Otherwise, we will
end up importing all of our dairy
products from Wisconsin.
5. Three other big vetos bit the
dust as previously reported in
this column AS a result, motor
vehicle registration fees will not
be increased this year, Production
Credit Associations will be ex-
empted from the shares tax, and
the Park and Planning Commits
sion is authorized to budget funds
to acquire school and freeway
sites, subject to proper restric-
tons.
1 will confess that my SYM
pathy for the grand inquest into
the Baltimore Transit Co. strike
is limited. Ten days ago l warn
ed some of the inquest leaders
that the House of Delegates
might end up in the awkward
position of protracting, rather
than shortening, the strike by
conducting a lengthy investiga-
ton. If that appears to be the
case, the delegates from the coun-
ties may withdraw their support
altogether.
1 have been appointed to the
joint senate-house subcommittee
to rassle with the Baltimore Port
Authority bill, which includes the
ridiculous notion of financing the
authority through a general gas
tax increase.
Seven of the nine subcommittee
members are from Baltimore and
its environs - all but Delegate
Hanna ID, Wicomico) and my
self. Last Friday tossed a hand
grenade into the proceedings by
suggesting that it might be a fair
proposition to finance the author
ity half by Statewide tax (other
than gasoline) and half by some
tax that would come exclusively
out of Baltimore.
The seven Baltimoreans sput.
tered and fumed and made speech.
es about how the port authority
would help the people of Oakland
and Ocean City just as much as
the people of Baltimore. That. of
course, is lot of baloney, and
they know it.
Increased volume of trade
through the port will help the en-.
tire State to some extent, but
the primary benefit will obvious.
ly be to the businesses and work.
ers located in the Baltimore area.
Under my proposal, Baltimore
would in effect pay about three.
quarters of the total cost and the
counties the other quarter. l be.
heve that is fair.
Bills are under consideration to
increase the personal property
tax exemption on farm machin.
cry and implements. I am get
ting information from Alex Han
cock as to the effect on Montgom-
cry County's tax base and will
report further at a later date.