The Advisory Commission on Inter-
governmental Relations is a bipartisan
agency of the United States Government
whose members include Cabinet officers,
members of Congress, governors, state
legislators, mayors, and county officials.
As its name suggests, it is vitally con-
cerned with political-social-economic
relations between local, state, and na-
tional governments. It enjoys an en-
viable nationwide reputation for devis-
ing sound intergovernmental proposals
designed to meet today's needs for socio-
political arrangements that will keep
pace with fast-moving technological
advances. The Maryland Constitutional
Convention Commission has drawn
upon the Advisory Commission's re-
sources, particularly in the preparation
of its recommendations regarding
Article VII, Local Government.
Listed below are the titles of publica-
tions by the Advisory Commission
on Intergovernmental Relations which
probably would prove to be informative
and useful to those interested in local
government.
report A-5, governmental struc-
ture, organization, and planning
in metropolitan areas, house
comm. on governmental opera-
tions, comm. print, 87th Gong., 1st
Sess., 83 pp. (July 1961). Examines
the problems associated with the highly
complex governmental structure com-
mon to metropolitan areas ; recom-
mends various actions by the states
and the federal government to im-
prove intergovernmental relations and
to simplify local governmental struc-
ture in these areas.
report A-9, local nonproperty
TAXES AND THE Co-ORDINATING ROLE
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of the state 68 pp. (offset, Sept.
1961). Traces the development of
local consumer and income taxes in
the U. S. and sets forth policy guide-
lines for their coordination by the
states. The report underscores the
"piggy-backing" of the local tax on
the state tax as the most promising
way to coordinate state and local
income and sales taxes by giving local
jurisdictions access to superior en-
forcement resources of the state,
easing taxpayer compliance, but leav-
ing the decision to impose the tax to
local initiative.
report A- 10, state constitutional
and statutory restrictions on
local government debt 98 pp.
(printed, Sept. 1961) . Appraises exist-
ing state restrictions and recommends
state action.
report A-l 1, alternative approaches
to governmental reorganization
in metropolitan areas 88 pp. (off-
set, June 1962) . Reviews the major ap-
proaches to reorganization of govern-
mental structure and powers in metro-
politan areas, indicating their strengths
and weaknesses and the factors that
make them likely to be effective if
adopted.
report A- 12, state constitutional
and statutory restrictions upon
the structural, functional, and
personnel powers of local gov-
ernment 80 pp. (printed, Oct. 1962) .
Describes state limitations on the form
and structure of local government and
recommends state action.
report A- 14, state constitutional
and statutory restrictions on
local taxing powers 122 pp. (off-
265
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