Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-11-21
Controversies
Face Session
Of Legislature
Reupportionment
Issues Expected
To Bring Trouble
BY PAUL HOPE
Star Stan Writer

long list of controversial issues
as they prepare for a three
month General Assembly ses-
sion-and the list likely will
get longer before opening day
January 4.
Two reapportionment prob
lemS-State and congressional
are among the top trouble
makers expected to go before
the Legislature.
On the State level, suburban
counties will be beating the
drums for more representation
in the General Assembly. On
the other side will be the rural
counties which have jealousy
guarded their hold on the State
legislative process. In the mid
die will be Gov. TaWes, who
favors a mild reapportionment
plan but wasn't able to get it
through the 1860 session.
New House Seat
On the congressional level,
the Legislature will be faced
with the task of carving out a
new district for the new House
of Representatives member the
State got as a result of the 1860
census.
To gain anywhere near equal
districts, from a population
standpoint, will require extern
sive re-carving of the existing
seven districts, and likely will
produce some heavy pickering.
The suburban areas will be
united in demanding that they
get first claim to the new Con-
gresham, but when it gets
down to determining which
jurisdictions will benefit the
most, the four big suburban
counties likely will go off in
different directions.
Baltimore City, which is pro-
portionately over-represented in
Congress, will be fighting any
attempt to take away part of
lies three-member congressional
bloc to divvy things up more
fairly in the suburban areas.
Taxes and teachers salaries
will demand their share Of
attention.
Already, the counties, espe-
cially the suburban ones, have
issued a warning that they
will be seeking broader taxing
authority. Gov. Tawes. on the
other hand, will resist inva-
sion of the income and sales
taxing fields by the localities.
Income and sales taxes, which
: are the States main sources
of income, are the very ones
being eyed by the suburban
counties and Baltimore City.
Teachers are expected to de-
scend on the Capitol again with
their demand for a $13 million
pay raise. This was the one
rejected by Gov. Tawes and
: the Legislature last year in IA
l vor of a modest pay program
e which gave salary raises only
e to veteran teachers.
p Plans Spending Curb
Gov. Tawes has indicated he
= will place a tight rein on spend
: ing to head off any major tax
S increase during the remaining
two years of his term. While
e the State had a surplus last
IL year and is expected to have
n one this year, fiscal experts
r, have warned that expenses are
s growing faster than revenues
IS and the future may not be SO
rosy.
s. The Legislative Council, an
- advisory group made up OF
:, top legislators, has recommend
:, ed a $13 million increase in
Il aid to localities, of which S.
million would be financed By
an increase in the State Gig.
arctic tax. Some SO millior
n of this could be used for teach.
'e ers' salary increase. Gov
Ie Tawes has not yet indicated
,e his feeling on the council!
n recommendation.
IS In another field, slot ma.
+ chimes may provide some lively
~ action if the anti-slot people
are able to persuade Legislators
l. to introduce gambling curbs
Is The Anne Arundel County
+ Commissioners already have
- asked their county legislative
u delegation to introduce a mea'
" sure which would allow a re-
IL ferendum on whether to re-
tain slots in that county.
Slots Fight Likely
The Anne Arundel wedge
if it is introduced, could result
in a full-blown fight on the
slot issue. Slot machines are
legal in four Southern Mary
land counties. While most eff
forts have been to curb them
o it is not inconceivable that
g legislation might be offered te
it extend slots to other areas.
l. Legislation affecting opera
:, tions of savings and loan as
sociationS is expected to come
y up again. In the 1860 session
}, the Legislature passed bill te
Le regulate these associations, but
e the bill was vetoed by Gov
IS Tawes. The governor appointed
a commission to study the
4, matter, and the report is ex.
: pected to be submitted before
d the 1861 session starts.
If Gov. Tawes said last sum
Is mer that he would seek legisla'
ton to abolish Maryland
+, presidential preferential pri'
a mary. The governor wanted {
is free hand at the Democratic
is convention but the Maryland
delegation was committed Il
d Senator Kennedy because he