J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                       1315

32-18.

The County Commissioners are hereby authorised to levy for each
tax year commencing after the effective date of this act, a fire tax

up to ten cents (10¢) on every one hundred dollars ($100.00) of the

assessed value of all real and personal property assessed for county
tax purposes in Prince George's County, except the area of said

county within the limits of the City of Takoma Park.

The said fire tax by this section if levied shall be collected in the
same manners as other state and county taxes as the same are now

levied and collected.                         

The proceeds of said fire tax collected each year shall be appro-
priated by the Board of County Commissioners for the employment

of paid firemen, the acquisition or leasing of land or facilities and
equipment or services which the Board of County Commissioners

deem desireable for the protection of its citizens from fire hazards.

All full-time firemen who meet the standards set out by the Prince
George's County Merit Board and are certified by the Personnel
Director as meeting these standards shall be county employees en-
titled to the provisions of the Merit System, whether paid from funds
of the county or funds from Volunteer Fire Companies.

The Board of County Commissioners may utilize employed firemen
at such locations as they deem necessary or desirable and may enter
into contracts with individual volunteer fire companies to determine

the number of full time firemen to be paid from County funds and.

the number to be paid from Fire Company Funds with additional
provisions for regulating the conditions of employment and the with-
holding of tax moneys due the fire companies for employment of per-

sonnel over and above those allocated by the Board of County Com-

missioners.

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE HEREBY
AUTHORIZED TO LEVY FOR EACH TAX YEAR COMMENCING
JULY 1, 1966, A SPECIAL FIRE TAX WHICH SHALL BE IN
ADDITION TO THE FIRE TAX AUTHORIZED UNDER PRE-
VIOUS SECTIONS OF THIS SUB-TITLE, UP TO TEN CENTS
(10^) UPON EACH ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) OF
ASSESSED VALUATION OF REAL AND PERSONAL PROP^
ERTY ASSESSED FOR COUNTY TAX PURPOSES IN PRINCE
GEORGE'S COUNTY, EXCEPT THE AREA OF SAID COUNTY
WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF TAKOMA PARK.

THE SAID SPECIAL FIRE TAX AUTHORIZED BY THIS
SECTION, IF LEVIED, SHALL BE COLLECTED IN THE SAME
MANNER AS OTHER STATE AND COUNTY TAXES.

THE PROCEEDS OF SAID SPECIAL FIRE TAX SHALL BE
APPROPRIATED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION-
ERS FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF AT LEAST TWO ADDI-
TIONAL FULL-TIME PAID FIREMEN IN EACH FIRE STA-
TION VALIDLY IN EXISTENCE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S
COUNTY, THE ACQUISITION OR LEASING OF LAND OR FA-
CILITIES FOR NEW FIRE HOUSE SITES AND TRAINING FA-
CILITIES, AND TO SUPPLEMENT FINANCIAL NEEDS OF
FIRE COMPANIES BASED ON BUDGET REVIEW.