port completed the most modern cargo ter-
minal on the East Coast.
Among the major laws the Governor
sponsored and saw enacted were: the strict-
est handgun control law in the Nation; a
unique insurance law that combines a lim-
ited "no fault" feature with the Nation's
only State insurance company which pro-
vides coverage for Maryland motorists who
otherwise would be unable to obtain insur-
ance; a model Power Plant Siting law which
the National Governors' Conference has
adopted as its own suggested legislation; a
State Drug Abuse Authority and a model
narcotics law; a State Housing Agency to
encourage the development of low-income
housing; and a land use law to protect
Maryland's critical areas and provide for
orderly development and growth across the
State.
Maryland's environmental laws, among
the strictest in the Nation, were conceived
by Governor Mandel to protect now and
for the future the quality of the State's land,
air and water and the abundance of marine
life that flourishes in Maryland's wetlands.
Another achievement of the Mandel Ad-
ministration was the reorganization and con-
solidation of Maryland's courts, the strength-
ening of the State's overall criminal justice
system and the establishment of a procedure
of selecting judges from among persons
nominated by panels of lawyers and laymen.
He also established a coordinated system of
criminal justice information.
Governor Mandel also acted to solve the
problem of soaring medical malpractice in-
surance rates by creating a system of arbi-
trating claims over certain amounts. Arbi-
tration panels comprise laymen, lawyers and
representatives of the medical and health
professions.
Unique in the continental United States
is the State School Construction Program
which was conceived and sponsored by
Governor Mandel to relieve the 23 counties
and Baltimore City of the financial burden
of building schools.
Under the program, the State assumed
full financial obligation for the construction
and major renovation of all public schools |
in Maryland, and full financial responsibility
for outstanding bonded indebtedness for
schools the counties built prior to inception
of the program. Since the program began in
1971, the State has obligated more than $1
billion for school construction in the sub-
divisions which relieved the taxpayers of
the costly burden of increased taxes to sup-
port the need for schools. The program has
led to the reduction of local property taxes
in many subdivisions and a stabilization of
taxes in others.
Under Governor Mandel, Maryland also
became the first State in the Nation to pro-
vide State operating funds for private col-
leges and universities. And the Governor
also greatly increased the amount of State
aid for education to the subdivisions.
Acting on the recommendations of a
study commission which he appointed. Gov-
ernor Mandel sponsored and saw enacted a
broad program reorganizing and restructur-
ing the entire system of education in Mary-
land. Moreover, he replaced the Council on
Higher Education with a stronger coordinat-
ing body and signed laws granting university
status to two State colleges. The Governor
also devised an equitable formula for fund-
ing special education programs throughout
Maryland.
During Governor Mandel's years in office,
the State has expanded its network of day
care centers and the number of children
receiving free school lunches. Recently the
Governor created by Executive Order a Di-
vision of the Aging to deal with the special
problems of the elderly and has set aside a
portion of the State's lottery proceeds for
programs for the aging. While welfare grants
have been increased, there has been a steady
decline in caseloads because of safeguards
taken at Governor Mandel's direction to
weed out abuses and ineligibles.
Through this steady and progressive ex-
pansion of State aid and services in virtually
every area of State government, Governor
Mandel has been able to achieve a record
of financial stability through prudent man-
agement of Maryland's fiscal resources.
. Maryland has consistently maintained the
highest bond rating of any state in the
: Nation. |
