Evening star., 1959-11-15
Use Of State-Owned Cars
Is Scored in MARYLAND
Personal Trips
Restraint Seen
Cutting Costs
BY CHARLES L. HOFFMAN
Star Stan Writer ssf

Certain practices in the use
Of State-owned vehicles came
under sharp attack yesterday
from a Maryland Legislative
Council committee on economy
and efficiency in government.
The committees report made
public yesterday was particu-
larly critical Of the after-ofice-
hours use Of State-owned
vehicles. It called for a new
policy limiting sharply" to
official purposes the occasions
when State vehicles are to be
taken home by employees.
The report called for major
overhaul of policies and
practices. 1t was prepared by
a subcommittee Of the Councils
Committee on Taxation and
Fiscal Matters headed by Sena-
tor William s. James, Demo-
crat Of Hartford County.
81 Million Savings Seen
Subcommittee Chairman Ed-
ward j. McNeal, Democrat Of
Baltimore City, said the rec
concentrations could result in
a $1-million-a-year saving.
This was the third compre.
hensive report issued by the
James Committee. All have
called for more conservative
policies in the handling of
fiscal matters.
The committee said the new
concentration Of employees in
the State Office buildings CEN
ter in Baltimore "offers opor-
tunity for increased efficiency"
in the vehicle situation. -
Chief Recommendation
Among its major proposals
were:
/. An increase from 7 cents
to 8 cents a mile in the rate
paid State employees who use
their own cars and elimina-
ton of the bonuses to those who
carry other State employees in
their cars.
2. Consideration of establish
ment of inter-agency motor
pools at Baltimore and Annap-
oils. s.
8. Discontinuance of the use
Of departmental decals on
State-owned cars and consider
alton of the issuance of per-
manent registration and tags
for all State-owned vehicles
similar to those issued State
and local police and State
Roads Commission cars. so
4. Creation of a Statewide
policy on normal maintenance
practices and establishment of
central facility at the Balti-
more Office center for the nor
NAL servicing of State-owned
cars.
State Owns 1,753 Autos
Maryland now has 1,753
State-owned cars with an esti-
mated 1926 based at the Balti-
more Office center. All but 20
of the latter are assigned to in
dividuals.
The subcommittee said 1t
found wide variances in prac-
tices regarding the cars use
and maintenance. Establish
ment of central motor pools
should result in a sharp cut
back in the number of cars,
the report said.
The pressure for individual
assignment of cars for home
to-off1ce travel has increased
over the last several years, the
subcommittee said.
"The use of State vehicles
for the purpose of transporting
employees between home and
Office is not a legitimate official
use," the committee said. It
called for strict enforcement of
policies limiting this use.
Would Review Assignments
Assignments to individuals
should be carefully reviewed to
limit such assignments so far
as practicable, to those whose
duties require intensive travel"
the report continued.
The committee recommended
against leasing cars from pri-
vate rental agencies as a gen.
eral practice, although it agreed
that emergency rentals on a
daily basis might be necessary
at times.
The James committees earlier
reports have covered State en-
ploye and teacher salary in
creaSeS and curtailment of the
use of surplus funds to balance
the States operating budget.
RoIIinq Riders