J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                             1149

PAY THE ANNUAL FEE OR CHARGE OF ONE-TWENTIETH
OF ONE PER CENT OF GROSS RECEIPTS TO THE PUBLIC
SERVICE COMMISSION OF MARYLAND.

(c) The Authority may borrow from the State, the City, AND Balti-
more County and Anne Arundel County, jointly or severally or from
any other source; and the State and any of the aforementioned
political subdivisions, jointly or severally, or any other legal entity,
may lend to the Authority out of or from funds which they or any
of them may have available for the purpose, a sum of money not ex-
ceeding fifty thousand dollars, upon such terms and conditions and
upon the execution of such legal instruments as may be mutually
agreed upon by the parties to any such transaction. The Authority
shall repay the principal amount of any such loan and all interest
due in connection therewith out of any funds which it may have
available not later than one year after the date of the said loan.

14. Qualified Power to Own and Operate A Transportation System.

(a)   The Authority has the power and authority to acquire, own,
and operate any public transportation system being operated or
maintained within the Area under the following conditions and after
the prescribed course of action have been first carried out:

(b)   The Authority shall utilize the powers hereinbefore set forth
after its creation in such a manner as to create the most favorable
conditions for the continued operation of private mass transportation
companies within the area. The Authority, however, shall consider
the public requirements and convenience in all of its decisions and
directives.

(c)  Upon the vote of at least five THREE of the members of the
Commission (which five THREE shall include at least one member who
resides in the political sub-division wherein is the place of business of
the public mass transportation system being acquired, and at least one
member who resides in each of the political sub-divisions within
which are regularly operated the public transit facilities of the public
mass transportation company being acquired) and not before two
years after the effective date of this Article, it shall be lawful for
the Authority to acquire, own, and operate any mass transportation
company or companies being operated within the Area. AND OVER
WHICH THE AUTHORITY HAS JURISDICTION PROVIDED
THE CARRIER TO BE ACQUIRED TRANSPORTED AT LEAST
FIVE MILLION (5,000,000) REVENUE PASSENGERS IN THE
TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE
ACQUISITION. Said acquisition may be effected through purchase
or condemnation or such other means as the Authority may determine.

(d)  If the acquisition by the Authority of mass public transporta-
tion facilities shall have been approved as herein required, the Author-
ity has the following powers, which powers shall be in addition to the
powers hereinbefore enumerated in this Article:

(e)   To acquire, purchase, lease, construct, establish, maintain, im-
prove, alter, control, and operate, and to sell, lease, mortgage, pledge,
or otherwise encumber, alienate, or dispose of, all or any part of a
mass public transit or transportation system or systems, including
street cars, buses, or any other conveyance, vehicle, property, or