1766                                      Vetoes

May 8, 1961.

The Honorable Perry O. Wilkinson
Speaker of the House
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I have today vetoed House Bill No. 646 and in compliance with
Article 2, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I am returning
this bill to you along with my veto message.

House Bill No. 646 is a Howard County local bill. The purpose of
the bill was to exempt from Howard County taxation all farming
implements and 50% of all laundry equipment and machinery owned
in the County.

My office has discussed this bill with the Director of the State
Department of Assessments and Taxation and with the Director of
the Department of Budget and Procurement and both of these in-
dividuals have expressed concern as to the effect that this type of
legislation might have upon State finances.

It is my feeling that the exemption of all farming implements of
any farmer in Howard County makes this bill State-wide instead of
local because of the effect that the same will have on general funds
dedicated for school equalization purposes. If this proposed exemp-
tion should become a reality, Howard County would receive a dis-
proportionate share of the State's equalization funds. The same is
also true as to the distribution of Department of Welfare funds and
Health Department funds.

It is my understanding that Article 81, Section 9, sub-section 23
of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 edition), grants the County
Commissioners of Howard County authority to exempt laundry equip-
ment owned in that County from local taxation and that this par-
ticular article and section number grants the Commissioners the au-
thority to exempt such property from State taxation.

It is because of the existence of the article and section number re-
ferred to in the above paragraph and the effect that the proposed
exemption on farm implements would have upon the distribution of
funds to the political subdivisions, that I am compelled to veto this
bill and return the same to you.

With kindest regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

(s) J. MILLARD TAWES,

Governor.
JMT/ss
enclo.

House Bill No. 694—Buzzards as Unprotected Birds

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 112 of
Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1960 Supplement),
title "Natural Resources", sub-title "Birds, Game and Inland
Water Fish", sub-heading "Title and Definitions", to remove the