1314                                      VETOES

ington Regional District under the jurisdiction of the Maryland-Na-
tional Capital Park and Planning Commission. This is the portion of
Montgomery County generally referred to as "the upper County".
Many residents of this area have expressed objection to their in-
clusion in the district. From the best available information, it would
seem that the extension of the Commission's jurisdiction to this
predominately rural area is premature and unnecessary. Insofar
as planning controls may be desirable in this area immediately and in
the future, I have already signed House Bill 526, now Chapter 668 of
the Acts of 1955, which authorizes a county planning board at the
election of the County Council. The board would consist of the Mont-
gomery County members of the Commission, plus additional members
that the County Council may choose to add. This seems to meet
the present needs of the area and to be most in accord with the
general wishes of the citizens involved, and I have therefore vetoed
House Bill 552.

Respectfully,

(s) THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor
TRMcK/A

House Bill No. 559—Montgomery County Tobacco Tax

AN ACT to add a new section to the Montgomery County Code
(1950 Edition), being Article 16 of the Code of Public Local Laws
of Maryland, title "Montgomery County", sub-title "Title 10.
Powers of County Council", sub-heading "Chapter 57. General
Powers", said new section to be known as Section 57-8 and to
follow immediately after Section 57-7, relating to a tobacco tax in
Montgomery County.

May 9, 1955

Honorable John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

House Bill 559 authorizes the imposition of a tobacco tax in
Montgomery County, without limitation on the rate of tax, and is
similar to House Bill 607 dealing with Harford County. Every
previous legislative authorization of a county tobacco tax has con-
tained specified limitations on the rate. While it might be felt that
competitive disadvantages with adjacent areas would serve as a
natural economic limitation factor on the rate of tax, or even its
imposition, experience has shown that such is not the case. I have
publicly expressed my opposition to a State tobacco tax in the interest
of Southern Maryland agriculture, of which tobacco crops are an
important part. However, I feel that the State should not wholly
abdicate, as a practical matter, its taxing powers in this area by any
local grant of unlimited taxing power. In addition, short of non-
taxation, the limitation of rate is more consistent with a policy of
fostering the Maryland tobacco industry insofar as possible.