[Art. 11-A, Sec. 7] MARYLAND MANUAL 367

be exercised only by the adoption or amendment of a char-
ter as hereinbefore provided; and provided further that
this Article shall not be construed to authorize the exercise
of any powers in excess of those conferred by the Legisla-
ture upon said Counties or City as this Article sets forth.

SEC. 7. The word "Petition" as used in this Article,
means one or more sheets written or printed, or partly writ-
ten and partly printed; "Signature" means tihe signature of
a registered voter written by himself in his own handwrit-
ing (and not by his mark), together with the ward or dis-
trict and precinct in which he is registered. The authen-
ticity of such signatures and the fact that the persons so
signing are registered voters shall be evidenced by the affi-
davit of one or more registered voters of the City or Coun-
ty in which said voters so signing are registered, and one
affidavit may apply to or cover any number of signatures
to such petition. The false signing of any name, or the
signing of any fictitious name to said petition shall be
forgery, and the making of any false affidavit in connection
with said petition shall be perjury.

ARTICLE XI-B.

CITY OF BALTIMORE.LAND DEVELOPMENT
AND REDEVELOPMENT¹.

SECTION 1. The General Assembly of Maryland, by pub-
lic local law, may authorize and empower the Mayor and
City Council of Baltimore:

(a) To acquire, within the boundary lines of Baltimore
City, land and property of every kind, and any right, in-
terest, franchise, easement or privilege therein, by pur-
chase, lease, gift, condemnation or any other legal means,
for development or redevelopment, including, but not limit-
ed to, the comprehensive renovation or rehabilitation there-
of; and

(b) To sell, lease, convey, transfer or otherwise dis-
pose of any of said land or property, regardless of whether.
or not it has been developed, redeveloped, altered or im-
proved and irrespective of the manner or means in or by
which it may have been acquired, to any private, public
or quasi public corporation, partnership, association, per-
son or other legal entity,

No land or property taken by the Mayor and City Coun-
cil of Baltimore for any of the aforementioned purposes
or in connection with the exercise of any of the powers

* Thug amended by Chapter 162, Acta of 1947, ratified November 2, 1948.