Evening star., 1960-02-04
Prince Georges Delegation Is Caught
In the Middle on Teacher Pay Issue
BY a Star stan Writer

4llC AAASO NOOA SO SOdAAby
delegation to the General As
sembly found itself in the mid
die today on the teacher pay
issue.
In his State of the State"
message yesterday. Gov. Tawes
asked the General Assembly to
hold the line against more
spending demands, one of which
is coming from teachers who
are trying to pry loose more
money for raises.
At the same time, the Prince
Georges delegation is faced with
a petition from $4,000 county
voters asking the assembly to
vote for a pay plan sponsored
by the Maryland State Teachers
Association.
Gov. TaweS, as expected,
asked the assembly to approve
q pay plan costing about $4.3
million which would give
raises only to teachers with 10
years or more experience. The
teachers association wants a
salary scale which would give
all teachers an average $3.50
increase and cost about three
times as much as the Cover
nor's plan.
Bill introduced
A bill embodying Gov. Tawes'
pay program was introduced in
the legislature yesterday.
A eachers' association
spokesman said bill calling
for the higher proposal will
be introduced tomorrow. He
said about Is members of the
House and four members of
the Senate have agreed 10
sponsor it. A Joint hearing on
teacher pay is scheduled at
10 am. Tuesday by the House
Ways and Means Committee
and the Senate finance Com
mittee.
The teachers association has
asked members of the Prince
Georges delegation to add their
names to the list of sponsors
of its plan.
Delegate Lansdale G. Sass
Ger. jr., Democrat, chairman Of
the Prince Georges County del
egation. said his group is still
studying the matter.
The Prince Georges County
Council of PTAS, headed by its
president. Mrs. Gladys SPELL
man, spearheaded the petition
movement, repeatedly at the
suggestion of some of the
county legislators.
Really in Middle
A spokesman for the delega-
ton said the delegation is
caught in the middle because
1t does not like to line up
against the Governor on the
teacher pay plan when they
want his full support for a re-
apportionment plan which
would give the county more
representatives in the General
Assembly. At the same time it
does not want to go against
the wishes of $4,000 petition
signers.
The teachers apparently are
fighting an uphill battle. !
Reaction to the Governors {
budget proposals yesterday was ]
generally favorable among leg /
iSlative leaders. !;
The Governor submitted s
S476.8 million budget for fiscal
1861 which provides for sailing '
away $l2 million of an expected s
$22 million surplus to be used
to balance the 1862 budget. !
Most of the other $40 million ;
OF the surplus would be used in J
fiscal 1861 for the Governors
modest pay increases for teach !
erS and other State employees. il
Sees Cushion ,
House Speaker Perry o..
Wilkinson of Prince Georges
County said he thinks the
Governors plan of reserving
part of the surplus for 1862
sis an excellent idea" and will
provide a cushion against
raising taxes next year." He
said he is backing the Gov
ernor's teacher pay plan and
'if other members of the
prince Georges delegation
are backing more teacher pay
hope they will tell me where
the money is coming from"
State Senator Edward S.
Northrop of Montgomery
County Democratic majority
floor leader, and Delegate
Blair Lee, III, Democrat, and
chairman of the Montgomery
County delegation, said they
will support the Governors
plan.
A. Gordon Boone, Democrat
OF Baltimore County, majority