1320                                      VETOES

be subject to approval by a majority of the qualified voters of
districts three (3), four (4), five (5) and six (6), of said Town.

April 28, 1955
Honorable John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

House Bill 681 authorizies a special annual assessment of $3.00 on
each improved parcel of land in the town of College Park, to enable
a volunteer fire company to finance the construction cost of a new
firehouse. The assessment is to run for not more than ten years. The
title of the bill states that the assessment is applicable only in the
third, fourth, fifth and sixth districts of College Park, but the body
of the bill contains no such limitation, although provision is made
therein for a referendum in those particular districts. The Attorney
General advises that "the bill does more than just remove what might
be construed as a tax limit, and for that reason, I feel that it runs
afoul of Article HE (the Home Rule amendment to the Constitution)
and is invalid and unconstitutional".

An additional reason cited for invalidity is the flat rate for each
lot, which would probably violate constitutional requirements of
uniformity in taxation.

Further, it appears to me that portions of the bill, as noted, are
broader than its title. for all of which reasons, I am compelled to
veto House Bill 681.

Respectfully,

(s) THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor
TRMcK/A

House Bill No. 716—Regulation of Cats, Prince George's County

AN ACT to add Section 464 (b) (34) to the Code of Public Local Laws
of Prince George's County (1953 Edition, being Article 17 of
the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland), title "Prince George's
County", sub-title "County Commissioners", to follow immediately
after Section 464 (b) (33) thereof, authorizing the County Com-
missioners of Prince George's County to regulate cats.

April 28, 1955
Honorable John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I am returning without my approval House Bill 716, described in
its title as "An Act ..... authorizing the County Commissioners of
Prince George's County to regulate cats."

The body of the bill would go on "To provide for the control,
regulation and restraint of cats running at large in Prince George's