8 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Nov. 10

Maryland, Friday, November 10th, at 10:00 A. M._? Nineteen Hun-
dred and Fifty.

Respectfully submitted,

WM. PRESTON LANE, JR.,

Governor.
Which was read.

ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., TO THE SPECIAL
SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, NOVEMBER 10_? 1950

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Senate and Mr. Speaker
and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates:

Pursuant to authority vested in me by Section 16 of Article 2
of the Constitution, I have convened the Legislature in Extra-
ordinary Session for the purpose of fulfilling pledges I made to
recommend to the General Assembly a reduction in the sales tax.

The pledge to do this was adopted in the Democratic Platform.
The Eepublican Platform is in substantial agreement with this
pledge.

In its detail that pledge in the Democratic Platform is: "We
pledge our party to exempt all sales up to 50 cents and all food,
including meals wherever sold or eaten. We pledge also to exempt
from sales tax soap, soap powders, cleaning fluids and detergents
when purchased for home use and baby oils and baby powders."

Bills embodying these recommendations have been prepared for
your consideration and action.

The opportunity to accomplish tax relief as indicated is occa-
sioned by increase in tax receipts and estimated revenues for the
balance of the current fiscal year principally from sales and use
taxes.

The Comptroller of the Treasury has given me a revised estimate
of surplus as of June 30, 1951, after giving effect to warranted
adjustments as follows:

1951 Adjustments
Estimated Surplus June 30, 1951 (Revised).......... $1,545,425.27

Comptroller's Balance Sheet, September 30, 1950.
Plus: Estimated Increase in 1951 fiscal year
Revenue over original estimates:

Sales and Use Tax................... $4,500,000.00

Income Tax ........................ 1,316,500.00

Alcoholic Beverage Taxes............ 700,000.00

All Other .......................... 250,000.00

——————— 6,766,500.00