|
White. If it is, I am sorry. Maybe you
cannot answer it.
It seems there is a difference of opinion
between the majority and minority as to
whether this extension of the vote to
non-residents is a restriction or extension.
The commentary, on page 10 line 6, con-
sidered this an extension of the vote rather
than a restriction on the right to vote. Do
you agree with that?
DELEGATE WHITE: I will make an
effort to answer. For example, if anyone
has observed my vote in these areas in the
Convention, I have consistently voted in
favor of the extension of the right to vote.
That includes the vote last night. This is
the trend now in constitutions, to extend
the right to vote to those people who may,
have been restricted, for example, in fed-
eral enclaves. I certainly am in favor of
seeing these citizens have an opportunity
to vote and younger people should have an
opportunity to vote. These are human
values and citizenship values which have
nothing to do with possession of property
but when one proposes to extend the right
to vote on the basis of property qualifica-
tions, this is a restriction of the vote on
the part of the local residents because it is
a dilution of their vote. It has a tendency
to diminish the value of the local residents'
vote because it is diluted by the votes of
people who live in other municipalities.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
Are there any further questions of Dele-
gate White?
Delegate Murray.
DELEGATE D. MURRAY: This is not
a question but may I have a point of per-
sonal privilege, please?
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
Yes, state your privilege.
DELEGATE D. MURRAY: I am sure
Delegate White will not mind being inter-
rupted once again. In the gallery this
morning we have a very special group of
people, young people, very special to me.
We have two teachers, Mrs. Sally Le Vine
and Mrs. LaVerne Beaman who have just
recently passed the age of twenty-one, both
voters, and 27 students of the Forestville
Elementary School. They come from the
fifth and sixth grades and they are very
intelligent young people and potential
voters at the age of nineteen. I wish you
would join me in bidding them welcome.
(Applause.)
|
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
The Chair is very happy to welcome this
group and hope they enjoy their clay here.
Delegate Weidemeyer.
DELEGATE WEIDEMEYER: Delegate
White, I understand you do not want non-
residents to vote in the municipalities but
how about if a man went into Baltimore
City and bought a million dollars worth of
real estate and they assessed it on the basis
of 60 per cent of its actual value that
would be $600,000. At $4 a hundred tax, I
think you are around that in Baltimore
City, that would be $24,000 a year taxes.
Now do you think that that man should be
denied the right to vote in the city election
of Baltimore for the Mayor and City
Council who is spending $24,000 of his tax
money?
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
Delegate White.
DELEGATE WHITE: My answer is
yes. I do not think he should be given the
right to vote in Baltimore City based on the
fact that he owns real estate regardless
of the value of such real estate. For ex-
ample, if you want the right to vote for
Mayor of Baltimore City, I would suggest
that such person should do as Mr. Rocke-
feller did and g-o to Arkansas and run for
governor as a citizen of the State of
Arkansas.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
Are there any further questions? Delegate
Marion.
DELEGATE MARION: Delegate White,
can you tell me whether or not the lan-
guage which the minority seeks to elimi-
nate from section 2 dealing with the ex-
tension of the right to vote to non-resi-
dents is desig-ned by the majority to cover
corporations as well as individual non-
resident property owners?
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
Delegate White.
DELEGATE WHITE: I am not clear as
to whether or not they intended to cover
corporations, but I am aware based on our
study and the presentations made before
our Committee that in Ocean City it is
possible for corporations to vote and based
on the amount of shares certain individuals
own they may be able to vote more than
once. Of course, this is the view that cor-
porations are interpreted as people. This
is objectionable to the minority.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
Delegate Marion.
|
