Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-02-16
County School Unit
Primaries Sought
Annapolis Bill
ToAsk Vote Be
Non-Purtisun
BY PAUL HOPE
Star Staff Writer

Star Staff Writer
ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 16.-Leg-
islation calling for non-parti-
san school board primary cleo
tons in Montgomery County is
expected to be introduced in the
General Assembly.
James r. Miller, jr., chair
man Of the county's legislative
delegation. said a majority Of
persons who have contacted the
delegation favor having pri-
marles.
Mr.. Miller set yesterday as
the deadline for persons to give
their views on whether to retain
an elected school board, and
whether to have primaries.
He said that 104 persons re-
sponded and that SO wanted to
continue to elect the school
board while 16 wanted to make
1t appointive. There were 43
who favored having primaries
and 35 against. Opinion split
rs to Z in favor of non-partisan
primaries If a primary system
should be instituted.
Minority Can Elect
Montgomery is the only Mary
land county with an elected
school board. The candidates
run only in the general cleo
ton, however, and when there
are more than two candidates
for a single seat it is possible
for the winner to be elected
with uess than a majority vote.
The proposed primaries would
reduce the number of candi-
dates to two for each seat to be
filled in the general elections.
thus assuring that the winner
would be elected by majority
vote.
Mr.. Miller said he considered
communications received on
the matter as support for the
Republican platform plank
last year calling for non-par-
tisan primaries. He said the
delegation will discuss It next
week and probably will draft
the necessary legislation.
On another legislative front,
the House Of Delegates yester-
day passed a bill to outlaw
multiple-odds pinball machines
in Prince Georges County.
The bill now goes to the Sem
ate where the county's sena-
tor, Winship Wheatley, has in
dicated he will go along with
it.
The bill would outlaw any
machine which requires a
Federal gambling stamp. Only
machines which award free
plays are allowed In Prince
Georges, but it is believed by
authorities that many of the
multiple-odds machines are
widely used for under-the-
counter cash payoffs.
Emergency Status
The bill contains an emer-
gency clause which means it
would go into effect immedi-
ately upon being signed by the
Governor rather than waiting
until June /. the usual date for
bills to become effective.
A bill to give Montgomery
County more taxing authority
was sidetracked yesterday in
the House.
Delegate Marvin Mandel.
chairman of the Ways and
Means committee, said some
State officials want his COM
mittee to take a look at it to
see if it conflicts with any
State taxing programs. The
bill, which had been handled
by the county delegation until
yesterday, was re-refered to
Mr.. Mandels committee.
Mr.. Mandel said he didn't
think the bill would be delayed.
It would give Montgomery the
same taxing authority held by
Baltimore City and Baltimore
County.
The additional authority
would include the power to levy
q local retail sales tax. State
fiscal officials have been leery
of letting localities move into
this field, but Mr.. Mandel said
that If Baltimore City and
County has the authority he
didn't see why Montgomery
shouldn't.