1152                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 670

or any political subdivision thereof is pledged to the payment of the
principal or of the interest on such bonds.

(0) THE AUTHORITY SHALL BE LIABLE FOR SUIT FOR
NEGLIGENCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE OWNERSHIP AND
OPERATION OF ITS OWN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYS-
TEM.

15. Contract for superintendence

The Authority may make a contract for superintendence with any
corporation which has executive personnel with experience and skill
applicable to the superintendence of the operation and maintenance

of any part of the system for the furnishing of its services and the

services of experienced and qualified personnel for the superin-
tendence of the operation and maintenance of the system or any part
thereof, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
superintendence over personnel, purchases, properties and operations
and matters relating thereto, and any revenue bond indenture may
require such contract. No such contract shall extend beyond the term

of three years or such longer time as there are outstanding any

revenue bonds under an indenture which required such contract. In
any such contract with a corporation for superintending services,
the duties of such corporation shall be designated. Neither such con-

tract, nor the corporation which is a party thereto with respect to

its rights and duties thereunder, shall be subject to control or regula-
tion by the Public Service Commission or by any political subdivision
of the State of Maryland other than by the Authority as provided in
such contract.

16. 15. General Authority.

(a)   The Authority and its officers and agents may perform such
acts and enter into agreements, not inconsistent with law, as may
be necessary or desirable in connection with the duties and powers
conferred upon the Authority by this Article, in the matter of
acquiring, constructing, completing, maintaining, operating, repair-
ing, or insuring or replacing the system of any part thereof acquired,
constructed, or completed under this Article, for the safeguarding
of funds and revenues required for this Article, and for the payment
of the revenue bonds issued pursuant to this Article.

(b)   In the event economic engineering studies of the Authority
show public transportation needs to exist in specific areas but that
studies of feasibility do not show sufficient incomes to support the
required financing by revenue bonds, the Authority in cooperation
with public agencies within said area shall determine the boundaries
of a transportation district within the Metropolitan Area which re-
quires such services and through duly constituted powers of local
agencies propose and support the creation of said transportation
district with powers provided by voters for the taxation of property
and the financing of said district through general obligation bonds
adequate to engineer, construct and operate such required system of
transportation. The said district may operate such facilities in-
dependently for the benefit of the people or, by contract or otherwise,
may enter into agreement with the Metropolitan Transit Authority
for coordinated operation of such facilities, and the Authority shall
thereupon integrate the operations of such system with all its other