SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                        1637

VETOES

TITLES AND MESSAGES

Senate Bill No. 1—Farm Assessments

AN ACT to repeal Subsection 19 (b) of Article 81 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1965 Replacement Volume and 1967
Supplement), title "Revenue and Taxes," subtitle "Method of Assess-
ment," to enact a new Subsection 19 (b) in lieu thereof, to stand
in the place of the subsection so repealed, to provide for changes
in the law relating to assessments of land for farm or agricultural
use.

May 7, 1968.

Honorable William S. James
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. President:

In accordance with Section 17 of Article II of the Maryland
Constitution, I have vetoed today Senate Bill 1 and am returning it
to you.

This bill would make changes in the law relating to the assess-
ment of land for farm and agricultural use. It would also set forth
criteria which, when met, would cause the loss of the preferential
assessment without consideration of additional factors.

I am well aware of the purpose for which the preferential farm
assessment was established and am equally cognizant of the loss of
revenue to the state and its subdivisions.

In examining the effect this bill would have, the problem must
not be viewed from the narrow base of additional revenue which
could be derived from increased assessments, but with a glance to-
ward the future development and welfare of the entire state. The
greatest problem facing us all today is that of the urban areas, the
vast cities that become more impacted by the day. The only feasible
answer seems to be an increased emphasis on the planning and
orderly development of newly populated areas in a manner that will
allow people to live, work and thrive in surroundings which will not
turn into the slums of tomorrow. The capital to plan, develop, build
and maintain such population centers must be from private, not
public, sources. This is so not only because of the great burden
now being placed on public resources, but because it is the heart
of our economic system, a system which we must encourage to tackle
this problem or face a continuing cycle of decay in our urban areas.

There are those who take advantage of the preferential assess-
ment, and of this we are all aware. It was not intended for those
other than bona fide farmers, but no one can deny that the pref-
erential treatment has been instrumental in allowing the develop-