NEWS CONFERENCE 11

Q. Mr. Agnew, House Speaker Marvin Mandel said last week that
he expected that as the Legislature went on and on, that there would
be problems.

A. I would expect so.

Q. What problems do you see at this point?

A. Well, as long as there are Republicans and Democrats and as
long as we run for high office on tickets, there will be a certain amount
of jockeying for position. I think this is only the American system. I
don't expect any bed of roses with the Legislature. The only thing I
hope to do with the Legislature is to prove to them that when I say
something they can depend on it totally, to consult with them and not
to surprise them, and to keep them as well informed as I can. And I
think that if we cultivate an atmosphere of mutual trust in what we
say to each other, meaning the leadership and me, we'll get along.
There will be points of political disagreement. There will be things
that I want to do that they don't want me to do and vice versa, and
there will be contests. But I think there will be a lack of hostility that
could have come about were we not approaching the problems to-
gether.

Q. Mr. Agnew, the Commission of the District of Columbia is con-
sidering a commuter tax for Maryland and Virginia suburbanites who
work in Washington. There is a lot of doubt on Capitol Hill that this
will go through the House District Committee, but I wonder how you
feel about it as the executive of one of the states affected?

A. I feel very much opposed to it, and of course it's normal being a
public official in an area that is being taxed and not receiving benefit
from a tax, that I would be. But this is not the principal reason that
I'm opposed. I'm opposed because of my basic opposition to any tax
that is levied at the place of employment, because I think that the
majority of services are financed at the place of residence. That is
where the money is spent and that is where the tax should be collected.

Q. Mr. Agnew, do you expect Governor Romney or other high Re-
publican leaders to attend your inauguration?

A. I doubt if many of them will. I've received quite a few invitations
to inaugural ceremonies for other governors, both Republican and
Democratic, and I'm sure that if they find themselves as busy as I am
they are not going to have a chance to run out of state to go to other
ceremonies.