Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-09
County Is Victor
In Fight 10 Tax
Cigarette Sales
Senate Overrides
Governors Veto
Of Montgomery Bill
By q stan Correspondent Of Vrhe star

b. stan Correspondent Of dhe Star
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. s.-The
Montgomery County Council A.
nally had clear-cut authority to-
day to levy county cigarette tax
next fiscal year, if it needs to.
The State Senate yesterday. on
a 20-to-8 vote, completed action
overriding Gov. McKeldin's veto
of the Montgomery tobacco tax
authorization. 1t previously had
been overridden in the House.
The bill now becomes effective
on June /. That makes it possible
for the County Council to use the
tobacco products tax to balance
the county budget for the next
fiscal year beginning July /, if
necessary.
Tobacco Area Opposed
All FIVE Senators from the
Southern Maryland tobacco
growing counties opposed the
Montgomery bill, including Sem
ator H. Winship Wheatley. jr-
Democrat of Prince Georges.
Gov. McKeldin said he vetoed
the bill, passed in the 1865 ses-
sion at the request Of the County
Council, because it put no ceiling
ION the. amount of tax that may
he levied on tobacco products.
State Senator Edward S. North
rop. Democrat of Montgomery.
maintains such a limitation
would be violating his county's
home rule tradition.
A 2-cent per pack cigarette tax
would raise about 100000 in
the county, it has been estimated.
Meanwhile. Delegate Gilbert
GUIDE. the lone Republican in
the Montgomery delegation, in
Itroduced a bill to provide that
all county cigarette tax rates
shall not go higher than 2 cents
per pack.
This is certain to bring OPP
position from Baltimore City
and county, which already have
Scent cigarette tax rates.
Delegate Blair Lee. III. Demo-
Icrat of Montgomery. and Dele
gate w. w. Meyers. Democrat Of
Baltimore, Joined in sponsoring
a bill to make all county tax
assessors State employees. They
are now paid and supervised by
both county and State.
! Delegate Maurice Cardin,
/ Democrat of Baltimore, put In
a bill requiring that all drivers
licenses in the State be renewed
every five years. Maryland driv-
ers' licenses are good for life,
unless they are revoked for in
fractions Of the law.
Auto Inspection Advanced
The House bill calling for an
nual automobile inspection In
a network of private garages
was set up for final passage in
the lower chamber. after the
delegates yesterday accepted a
favorable report of the Ways and
Means Committee.
Also reported favorably by that
committee yesterday was a
Montgomery County delegation
measure seeking to revise the
State formula for distributing
funds under the aid for depen-
dent children program.
! Under the present formula,
counties contribute whatever a
penny on their tax rate will
Iraise: the Federal contribution
lis thrown in, and then the State
makes UP whatever difference
there Is between TINS amount
and the cost OF the county pro-
gram.
AS a result OF rising tax bases,
Mr.. Lee said, five counties collect
so much money from a penny on
the real estate tax rate that they
don't even get the Federal
money earmarked for them
These counties are Montgomery.
Baltimore. Hartford, Howard and
Talbot.
The Montgomery delegation
bill would continue the penny
levy, but it would provide that
the counties use as much Of the
county money raised by this levy
as was necessary, after 1t had
spent its Federal aid funds.
D~~A>u>