THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                   249

ernport pursuant to the provisions of Section 5 of Article HE of
the Constitution of Maryland.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 645 of Article 1 of the Code of Public Local Laws of
Maryland (1930 Edition), as said section was enacted by Chapter 8
of the Act of 1953, title "Allegany County", sub-title "Westernport",
be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to
read as follows:

645. The Mayor and Commissioners of Westernport shall have
power during the month of June in each year to levy an equal tax
on the property within the limits of said town or which may have
a situs there by reason of the residence of the owner therein, to
such an amount each year [not exceeding the sum of One Hundred
Cents (100c) on each hundred dollars worth of property,] as may be
deemed necessary for the expenses and government of said town,
which taxes so levied and assessed shall be collected promptly by
the Clerk of said town and by the Clerk as collected paid over at the
end of each and every month to the treasurer of said town, appointed
as such by the Mayor and Commissioners of Westernport; and the
said taxes shall be a lien from the time of levy, against the property
so assessed and enforceable and collected by the Clerk in the same
manner as the collector of public county taxes can collect taxes. All
such taxes levied as aforesaid shall be due and demandable on the
first day of October of the year levied and thereafter until paid
shall bear interest at the rate of six percentum per annum, but if
paid on or before the first day of August a discount of three per cent
shall be allowed and if paid on or before the first day of September
a discount of two per cent shall be allowed and if paid on or before
the first day of October a discount of one per cent shall be allowed.
And the Mayor and Commissioners shall fix the amount of bond, its
coverings and obligations to be given by the Clerk, his rate of
compensation and by ordinance prescribe his duties in connection
with said tax collecting as well as the duties of the town treasurer,
whose bond they shall likewise fix. And for the levy of taxes as
herein set forth the Mayor and Commissioners shall accept the
assessment values placed upon the property within the town limits for
State and County taxation.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the effectiveness of this
Act shall be subject to the requirement of Section 5 of Article HE of
the Constitution of Maryland that no such local law shall become
effective in regard to a municipal corporation until and unless it
shall have been approved at a regular or special municipal election
by a majority of the voters of that municipal corporation voting on
the question.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby declared
to be an emergency measure and necessary for the immediate pres-
ervation of the public health and safety and having been passed by
a yea and nay vote, supported by three-fifth's of all the members
elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly of Mary-
land, the same shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved March 29,1955.