|
I would like to get rid of Mr. Goldstein
by the ballot, not by the constitutional
Convention, because I think we are only
hurting the State of Maryland and neg-
lecting the public when we take away from
the public that elective office.
Now the comptroller's position was also
recommended to the public in New York.
If you will look at the proposal of the new
constitution there, they recommend that the
comptroller and attorney general shall be
chosen at the same general election.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one-half
minute.
DELEGATE DELLA: If you look at the
various state constitutions, a great ma-
jority of those states provide for the elec-
tion of the comptroller and the election of
the attorney general.
If we are going to compromise on any-
thing, I can see the area of compromise
as to the Board of Public Works, or at-
torney general.
THE CHAIRMAN: Your time has ex-
pired, Delegate Della.
DELEGATE DELLA: I am for the
amendment. I hope it is adopted.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does the delegate
desire to speak in opposition?
Delegate Bennett.
DELEGATE BENNETT: Mr. Chair-
man, I have heard a great deal of talk
here, conversation about the will of the
people being expressed in this regard, and
how important they consider the issue. I
confess to you that I have not had a single
letter from any one of the 175,000 people
in the district that I represent expressing
opinions as to whether or not the comp-
troller should be elected or whether or not
he should be appointed, but for fear that I
might have misunderstood my constituents
during the recess here, I canvassed the at-
tractive ladies who are members of the
League of Women Voters of Montgomery
County; some 80 of them have come here
to see us, and I found not only that I think
without exception they favor an appointive
comptroller general, but in addition to that,
they gave me a copy of the position of the
League of Women Voters on this matter.
They represent more than 3500 very
knowledgeable women interested in the well-
being of their government, and this is what
it says: "The League favors strengthening
the office of governor. The governor should
have the power to appoint and remove all
|
administrative heads of departments, in-
cluding the comptroller and the attorney
general. He should also have the power to
initiate the reorganization of the executive
branch."
It seems to me that that is a very im-
portant point of view, and it comes only
after the League has carefully considered
the issues.
Moreover, of course, the League favors,
as I do, that Maryland have an elected
lieutenant-governor. Now that issue has
not been discussed here this morning as
yet and it has a very important bearing it
seems to me upon whether or not the comp-
troller and the attorney general for that
matter should be appointed or elected.
If we have a lieutenant-governor, elected
by the people, who has definite assigned
duties that greatly minimizes the impor-
tance of an elected comptroller general and
attorney general, I hope the report of the
Committee will be supported.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in favor of the amend-
ment?
Delegate Frederick?
DELEGATE FREDERICK: Mr. Chair-
man, I would like to clarify a statement
made in error before our break. There was
a question put to Delegate Sybert about
the interest of our voters in the office of
comptroller or attorney general, and Dele-
gate Sybert, not knowing, said he realized
there was a drop-off from the head of the
ticket after it left the head of the ticket.
I would like to give you the figures from
the book: First, in the last election, the
winning governor got 455,000. The win-
ning comptroller got 528,000, so there is a
slight interest. The winning attorney gen-
eral got 530,000, so rather than a drop-off,
it is an increase.
Now, going back to 1962, where we had
one of the finest governors this state has
ever had, the winning governor, Governor
Tawes, got 428,000, and he is one of our
greatest. The winning comptroller got
434,000, an increase. The winning attorney
general got 422,000, so rather than a de-
crease, we have an increase indicating that
people of this State are interested in these
two offices. It is not a question of a lessen-
ing in their interest. They have more in-
terest, and speaking of the League of
Women Voters, I am very well acquainted
with some of the League of Women Voters
and I was in contact with some of them
|
