ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

I consider among the outstanding achievements of this administra-
tion the creation in 1959 of the Department of Economic Develop-
ment whose principal mission is industrial and business development
and the attraction of tourists to our State. The success it has had in
performing this mission has been truly remarkable. Since it began
its operations on a full-fledged basis in 1960, the Department played
a direct role in attracting industrial and commercial plants which
added $45 million in capital investment and $69 million in annual
payrolls to the Maryland economy. The most important thing of all is
that this achievement has given gainful employment to 11, 000 of our
people.

Statistics on tourists coming to our State are more difficult to obtain,
but there is no doubt that enterprises associated with the travel
industry today enjoy a far greater dollar value of business as a result
in part of the promotional activities of the Department of Economic
Development. The competition among the States for new business
and for more tourists is exceedingly keen, and Maryland must in-
tensify its efforts in this field. The Budget before you for this vital
operation contains additional funds, among other things, for needed
personnel, new publications, new studies and more State advertising.

HIGHWAYS

In the field of rebuilding, our State has made significant advances
over the past several years. Since I have been Governor, we have built
or improved 1, 300 miles of highway. Last year alone we built 80 miles
of new roads and, in addition, 27 miles of highway on the existing
system were dualized. Payments to contractors, the truest test of
money being converted to roads, reached $61, 145, 000 in 1965, ex-
ceeded only by the $71 million paid in 1964 which included large
portions of the Capital Beltway.

Major improvements during the past year have included giant
steps forward in this Administration's effort to provide our citizens
with a freeway and expressway system second to none in the nation.
In the field of traffic safety advantage has been taken of the "critical
need" fund which this Legislature granted last session., To date, 224
left-turn storage lanes, to reduce rear-end collisions, have been built,
and "rumble strips" to warn motorists of approaching dangerous
intersections are being installed. New steps have been taken in the
field of highway beauty, with the award of many contracts that will

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