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I cannot recall in government how many
times you give a government agency the
ability to tax and it does not tax. I say
that if we are going to form a regional
government that the only way people have
of getting at that regional government is
at this point and not at the point of im-
posing taxes. I would vote in favor of the
amendment, because I think the people
should have the right to decide whether
regional government should be formed.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any delegate
desire to speak in opposition to the amend-
ment?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Needle.
DELEGATE NEEDLE: Mr. Chairman,
I rise to oppose the amendment proposed
by my very able colleague from the second
district of Baltimore County. We certainly
don't vote as a block. This proves it.
Keep in mind, if you will, that the pres-
ent Constitution permits the General As-
sembly today to establish regional govern-
ments, but apparently does not provide that
these regional governments shall be sub-
mitted to the localities involved for local
referendum. Your Committee on Local Gov-
ernment has provided the people of the
State with an additional safeguard they do
not have now, that is the permissive refer-
endum, which the General Assembly may
impose.
Therefore, we are providing that addi-
tional safeguard. To impose a mandatory
referendum, I submit, would be only giving
lip service to the future establishment of
regional governments.
We are attempting to considerably
strengthen county governments, and I fear
if they become substantially strengthened
it is entirely possible in the future they may
be very reluctant to relinquish any powers
they have gained. We would, in providing
for mandatory referendum, permit the tail
to wag the dog.
I think the General Assembly must con-
cern itself with statewide issues and the
establishment of regional governments is
such a statewide issue.
To permit local parochialism by local
veto of particular counties to dictate to the
General Assembly policy in this area would
be highly regressive when we can now take
a bold step into the future.
I suggest that you reject the amendment
and support the committee recommendation
for a permissive referendum, which was a
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consensus opinion, many of the committee
members feeling there should be no refer-
endum in this area whatsoever.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any delegate
desire to speak in favor of the amendment?
(There was no response.)
Does any delegate desire to speak in
opposition?
Delegate Win slow.
DELEGATE WINSLOW: Mr. Chair-
man, I should like to point out to the mem-
bers of the Committee that this entire sec-
tion dealing with multi-county govern-
mental units is looking a rather consider-
able distance into the future. There seems
to be a misapprehension that this section is
adopted, at the very next session the Gen-
eral Assembly is going to proceed to create
regional governments.
All the Committee is interested in doing
here is to provide the possibility for the
General Assembly to act when the time is
ripe. Rather than tie the matter up at
this point, when we haven't the slightest
notion in which direction it will be well
for the General Assembly to act, I should
think it would be better to maintain this
entire area within the jurisdiction of the
General Assembly to deal with as the con-
ditions prevail at that time.
I should like to point out also, if I may,
that if the amendment which has been pro-
posed should carry, then every time that
the General Assembly wished to add a
simple little power to an existing agency
or to withdraw a simple little power from
that agency it would have to put the ques-
tion to a vote. It would then read, as I
have it, that the General Assembly shall
provide referenda for any law affecting
the powers of a regional government. I
submit to you this Committee is hardly in
position, it seems to me, to require a refer-
endum at every spot where the General
Assembly, in order to meet an immediate
condition, should have to put the question
to a vote of the entire area.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in favor of the amend-
ment?
(There was no response.)
Does any delegate desire to speak in
opposition to the amendment?
Delegate Gallagher.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: Mr. Chair-
man and ladies and gentlemen: If I may
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