Harrison M. Robertson, Jr., People's Counsel
Albert L. Been, Executive Secretary
Wilson B. Stringer, Assistant Secretary
Hugh H. Hunter, Chief Engineer
Thomas E. Cosgrove, Jr., Chief Auditor
Joseph S. A. Giardina, Director of Transportation

301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore 1 Telephone: 837-9000

The Public Service Commission, established by Chapter 180, Acts of
1910, is composed of three members appointed by the Governor for
six-year terms, one term expiring every two years. The Governor also
appoints the General Counsel for a six-year term and the People's
Counsel, who serves at the pleasure of the Governor (Code 1957, Art.
78, secs. 5, 6, 12, 14). The Public Service Commission has jurisdiction
over common carriers, including steam and electric railroads, street
railways, sleeping car companies, bus lines, express companies, steam-
boat companies, power boats, ferry companies, carriers by aircraft,
toll bridges, and all carriers, generally, engaged in the public trans-
portation of passengers or freight within the State of Maryland,
except those carriers of passengers which come within the jurisdiction
of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission (Acts 1959,
Ch. 613); and over all taxicabs operating in the City of Baltimore and
Baltimore County. The Commission also exercises jurisdiction over all
gas, electric, telephone, telegraph, water, sewage disposal, heating and
refrigerating companies operating within the State. The Commission
has the power to fix both minimum and maximum rates and to sus-
pend schedules pending the determination of the reasonableness of the
proposed rates. Public utilities may not abandon or discontinue the
exercise of any franchise without permission of the Commission. The
Commission tests all gas and electric meters before installation; it
also tests previously installed meters at the request of the consumer.
It maintains a laboratory in which it makes daily tests of gas fur-
nished in the City of Baltimore. It also makes regular and frequent
tests of the gas and electricity furnished in other parts of the State
(Code 1957, Art. 78, secs. 1-107).

The Commission is also authorized to make joint investigations,
hold joint hearings, and issue joint or other concurrent orders in
conjunction with any official board or commission of any state or the
Federal government under agreements and compacts between states,
under the concurrent powers of states to regulate interstate commerce
as an agency of the Federal government, or otherwise (Code 1957,
Art. 78, sec. 59). The Public Service Commission is also represented on
joint boards created by the Interstate Commerce Commission under
the Federal Motor Carriers Act to hear and pass upon applications
and proceedings pertaining to interstate motor carrier operation con-
ducted in or through not more than three states.

Appropriations 1963 1964

General Funds $393,787 $406,270
Staff: 41.

MARYLAND RACING COMMISSION

Chairman: R. Bruce Livie, Sr., 1964
Carle A. Jackson, 1965; E. Taylor Chewning, 1966;
C. William Hetzer, 1967; Albert A. Shuger, 1968.
James A. Callahan, Secretary

301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore I Telephone: 837-9000