276 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 317

succeeding Section 154 of this Article. In case of any defi-
ciency in revenue and taxation to meet the amount pro-
vided in the said estimates, there shall be a pro rata abate-
ment of all appropriations except for the payment of the
State taxes and the principal and interest of the county
debt, and in case of any surplus arising in any fiscal year,
by reason of excess of income received from the estimated
revenue over the expenditure for such years, the said
surplus shall be passed by the Board of County Commis-
sioners to a fund which shall be a part of the revenue for
the ensuing fiscal year.

154. The County Commissioners of Dorchester County,
whenever in their discretion they may deem it advisable,
are authorized to issue certificates of indebtedness upon
the faith and credit of Dorchester County, for the
payment of: (1) The maintenance and support of the
public schools in said county; and (2) for repairs and
maintenance of the county roads, bridges and ferries
therein, and for no other purpose whatsoever, bearing
interest at the rate of not exceeding six per centum (6%)
per annum from the date of same which shall be endorsed
upon the face of such certificates of indebtedness, and they
shall levy on the assessable property of the county liable
to taxation for the payment of said interest-bearing cer-
tificates of indebtedness in like manner as by law other
claims have been heretofore levied for and all such certifi-
cates of indebtedness issued and executed by the County
Commissioners shall be a lien upon all the assessable prop-
erty in Dorchester County, provided, however, that
all interest-bearing certificates of indebtedness issued
during any fiscal year by the said County Commis-
sioners of Dorchester County, shall be paid in full within
two months from the expiration of such fiscal year, and
not more than one hundred and twenty thousand dollars
shall be issued in any one fiscal year.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is
hereby declared to be an emergency law and necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public health and safety
and having been passed by a yea and nay vote of three-
fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses
of the General Assembly, the same shall take effect from
the date of its passage.

Approved March 24, 1945.