Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                 1683

The vice of House Bill 721 is even greater than that of the pro-
posed 1955 act. Under House Bill 721, Baltimore County would con-
tinue to have full control of taxicabs operating within Baltimore
County, while the Public Service Commission would regulate Balti-
more County cabs, which operated into Baltimore City. This dual
control is an unfeasible and unworkable proposal, and does not
remedy the defects of prior legislation on the subject, if, in fact legis-
lation can accomplish anything in the light of the administrative
problems inherent therein. I have therefore vetoed House Bill 721.

Respectfully,

(s) Theodore R. McKeldin,

Governor.
TRMcK/tk

House Bill No. 885—Alcoholic Beverages in St. Mary's County

AN ACT to add a new Section 37A 38A to Article 2B of the Anno-
tated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition AND 1956 SUPPLEMENT),
title "Alcoholic Beverages", sub-title "Local Licenses and License
Provisions", to follow immediately after Section 37 38 thereof,
prohibiting the issuance of licenses to sell alcoholic beverages to

chain retail grocery stores, or any retail grocery stores with more

than one retail outlet, in St. Mary's County FOR THE USE OF
CORPORATIONS IN ST. MARY'S COUNTY UNLESS ALL THE
STOCKHOLDERS OF SUCH CORPORATONS THE OWNERS
OF PART OF THE TOTAL STOCK THEREOF ARE RESI-
DENTS OF ST. MARY'S COUNTY.

April 17, 1957.

Hon. John C. Luber

Speaker of the House of Delegates

State House

Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

House Bill 885 provides that in St. Mary's County no license for
the sale of alcoholic beverages shall be issued for the use of any corpo-
ration, unless the owners of 15% of its total stock are residents of the
county. This is far different from the general statewide require-
ment in Section 38 (b) of Article 2B of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1956 Supp.) that at least one of the three persons acting on
behalf of the corporation, as licensees, shall be a registered voter and
taxpayer of the county and have resided therein for at least two
years prior to the application.

I am advised that the sole purpose of this Bill is to nullify by legis-
lation the administrative decision to grant a license for a substantial
grocery store unit of a national chain, Safeway Stores. This decision
of the local Board of Liquor License Commissioners is on appeal to
the Circuit Court for St. Mary's County, which is the proper forum
to determine the propriety of the Board's decision. Legislative over-
riding of administrative decisions and foreclosing of orderly court