1080                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 644

be averaged and assessed upon such frontage as the Commission may
deem reasonable and fair, and that all lots in this class shall be
assessed even though a water main or sewer may not extend along
the full length of any boundary; and provided further, that no land
so classified as agricultural by this Commission shall be assessed a
front foot benefit when said agricultural land has constructed
through it or in front of it a sewer or water main, until such time
as the water or sewer connection is made, and when so made and
for every connection such land shall become liable to a front foot
assessment for such reasonable frontage not exceeding three hun-
dred (300) feet, as may be determined by said Commission, and
shall be immediately assessed at the rate of assessment determined
by said Commission for agricultural land. Front foot benefit charges
for water supply and sewerage construction shall be as nearly uni-
form as is reasonable and practical for each class or sub-class of
property throughout each sanitary district for any one year, pro-
vided, however, that whenever the Commission acquires an existing
system other than a municipal system, the cost of 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 Commis-
sion 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 determine
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] date
of levy, at which time the Commission may proceed to enforce pay-
ment thereof; and the said benefit charge and any judgment or
decree obtained as a result of default in payment shall bear interest
at the rate of one-half of one per centum (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/or municipal taxes;
and if any property be sold for State and/or municipal taxes or both
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