HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1951

WHEREAS, other states at the present time are engaged in
preparing the necessary data and are now entering into agree-
ments with the Federal government for construction of specific
highway projects as soon as authorization for construction is
given; and

WHEREAS, due to the present inadequate salary scale of the
staff of the State Roads Commission many of its personnel
have left to accept more lucrative employment, and the re-
sultant vacancies, which cannot be filled at present salary
rates, make it impossible for the remaining personnel to pre-
pare and supervise an annual construction program of more
than $2, 500, 000, inasmuch as every construction program re-
quires the completion of engineering studies, surveys, plans,
specifications, right-of-way surveys and data before Federal
participation can be secured and contemplated projects can
be undertaken; and

WHEREAS, the lack of adequate personnel will undoubtedly
result in preference being given to planning and construction
of main highways, with resultant failure to provide for plan-
ning and construction of much needed farm to market roads
throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, failure by the State of Maryland to take imme-
diate measures to correct this situation and prepare at once
to take part in this program of highway construction will
inevitably cause thousands of returning war veterans and
workers to be unemployed at a time when employment will be
most urgently required and may compel the expenditure of
large sums for "made-work" or other forms of charity, in
addition to the loss of presently available grants for necessary,
construction, and will cause the further deterioration of our
heavily burdened highway system; and

WHEREAS, the remedy hereinafter proposed for the preven-
tion of this condition can be accomplished without any increase
whatsoever in the tax rate of the State of Maryland inasmuch
as all expenditures involved will be met from special funds
dedicated to highway purposes, which will not affect the gen-
eral tax rate, and furthermore a substantial part of necessary
engineering costs will be shared by the Federal Government
under the terms of the Federal Aid Highway Act; now, there-
fore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the
State Employees' Standard Salary Board be and hereby is
directed to make immediately a survey of the existing salaries