1356                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 749

for any one year and no benefit charge, once levied, shall be in-
creased; provided, however, that whenever the Commission acquires
an existing system other than a municipal system, the construction
of which has been added in whole or in part to the purchase price of
land or lots abutting upon said system and which contribution the
Commission has determined to be a factor in the cost to the Com-
mission of such system, the Commission may, in its discretion, levy
a front foot assessment less than the uniform front foot assessment
levied in the remainder of the sanitary district in which said system
is located. The amount of the charge per front foot for each class of
property for both water mains and sewers may be reduced from
time to time by the Commission in its discretion, if costs and condi-
tions are deemed by it to justify such reduction. Said benefit charge
shall be paid annually by all properties located as above specified,
for a period of years co-extensive with the period of maturity of the
bonds out of the proceeds of which such construction was done. The
Commission shall at any time permit a connection with a water main
or sewer by the property owner whose property does not abut on
said water main or sewer and who has not previously thereto paid a
benefit charge for the construction of said water main or sewer,
provided, said Commission shall classify said property and deter-
mine a front foot charge to be paid by said property owner as though
his or her property abutted upon said water main or sewer; and in
the event of such connection being made, said property owner and
said property as to all charges, rates and benefits shall stand in
every respect in the same position as if the said property abutted upon
a water main or sewer. Said benefit charge shall be payable at the
office of the Commission immediately upon being levied, and shall be
overdue and in default after sixty (60) days from that day, at which
time the Commission may proceed to enforce payment thereof; and
the said benefit charge and any judgment or decree obtained as a result
of default in payment thereof shall bear interest at the rate of one-
half of one percentum (½%) per month from and after the time
said benefit assessment or other charges are in default. The annual
benefit assessment or other charges as above specified shall be a first
lien upon the property against which they are assessed until paid,
any statute of limitations to the contrary notwithstanding, subject
only to prior State and county taxes, and if any property be sold for
State and/or county taxes or both by the Treasurer of said County;
and if after sale there is a surplus after all costs and expenses inci-
dent to such sale shall have been paid, then the said Commission
upon proper petition to the Circuit Court for said county shall be
allowed any balance from said surplus, and shall be a preferred
lienor to the extent of its lien; and for the purpose of giving notice
to the general public as to existing liens and charges against any
property within any sanitary district abutting upon any water or
sewer main, the said Commission shall keep a public record of all
names of owners of property, locations of said property, lot num-
bers when of record, and the amount of such benefit charges, water
service charges or such other charges that may become liens from
time to time. Said records shall be kept in the County seat of govern-
ment and among the land records of Charles County, and the Clerk
of the Circuit Court for said county shall furnish such space as may
be necessary to keep and preserve such records, which, when re-
corded in said public record, shall be legal notice of all existing liens
within any sanitary district. If any liens, benefit assessments or
other charges remain unpaid for sixty (60) days after becoming