552 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 295

466B. In each year the County Commissioners prior to
the adoption of the budget shall, after public notice, hold at
least one public hearing on the proposed budget. Public
notice of the time and place of said hearing shall be given
by at least one week's notice in at least two newspapers of
general circulation in Harford County. From [October]
November 1st until [November] December 1st in each year
at least one copy of such proposed budget shall be avail-
able for public inspection at the office of the County Com-
missioners during all regular business hours.

466C. (a) During the period from [October] Novem-
ber 1st to [November] December 1st in each year, the
County Commissioners of Harford County are authorized
and empowered to revise the proposed budget and any part
thereof by increasing, decreasing, eliminating or adding
items provided that there shall be no consolidation of items
in such manner as to reduce the detailed statement of the
appropriations. They shall further be authorized to revise
the schedule of anticipated receipts and estimated rates in
such manner as they may deem necessary. No later than
[November] December 1st in each year, or on the first day
thereafter, if [November] December 1st be a legal holiday,
the County Commissioners of Harford County shall by a
majority vote adopt the final budget, schedule of antici-
pated receipts, fix the tax rates and impose the levy for the
ensuing fiscal year. Such levy together with any surplus
county funds and all other revenues from all other sources
as shown by the schedule of anticipated receipts, must be
sufficient to cover the total appropriations in the budget.
The final budget, schedule of anticipated receipts and levies
so adopted shall be signed by a majority of the County
Commissioners, certified by their Clerk, and at least one
copy kept on record at the office of the County Commis-
sioners, open to public inspection during regular business
hours throughout the fiscal year which it covers.

(b) In fixing the tax rate for Harford County for any
year beginning after June 1, 1953, the County Commis-
sioners of Harford County shall first fix a rate applicable
alike to property within and without the City of Havre de
Grace and the incorporated towns of Harford County
which rate shall be sufficient to raise all sums needed to be
raised by such taxation to meet all estimated County ex-
penses except the following (which are hereinafter called
listed activities) for which listed activities no levy shall
be made on property within the said city and incorporated
towns: