1969]                   OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES                       31

MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Baltimore, Md., April 8, 1969.

Hon. Marvin Mandel
Governor of Maryland
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Dear Governor Mandel:

I understand that House Bill 908 which imposes a severance tax on
"sand, gravel or stone" excavated or quarried in Cecil County was passed
by the General Assembly on the last day of the 1969 Session. Although
this was introduced as a local bill, I feel that it has far reaching implica-
tions for the State as a whole.

I testified against this Bill before the Senate Finance Committee on
March 21. My reasons for opposition were as follows:

A severance tax imposed by a local jurisdiction is unfair to the local
mineral producer in that it puts him at a competitive disadvantage with
respect to other mineral producers in adjacent jurisdictions. Such a tax
in one county may lead to the imposition of a similar tax in other counties.
If this practice would become widespead in Maryland it would put the
Maryland mineral producers at a disadvantage with respect to adjacent
states. The tax would eventually be passed on to the consumer, thus
leading to higher building costs and contributing to the inflationary spiral.

I should also point out that this bill apparently does nothing toward
reclamation of mined lands. A Governor's Commission to study the supply
and availability of mineral resources of Maryland has drafted a bill (not
introduced in this Session) which would provide for regulation of the
mineral industries and also provide for the reclamation of mined lands. It
would seem to me that such a proposal is a much more intelligent and
positive approach toward mining and quarrying than the imposition of a
local "nuisance" tax.

Substantially the same bill as HB 908 has been introduced at least
three times in the General Assembly. It was passed in 1961 but was
vetoed by Governor Tawes. Dr. Joseph Singewald, my predecessor as
State Geologist, recommended a veto at that time for substantially the
same reasons as I have enumerated above.

Because I feel very strongly that the passage of this Bill into law
would lead to a chaotic series of local bills detrimental to the best interests
of the State, I respectfully recommend your veto of House Bill 908.

Respectfully yours,

/s/ Kenneth N. Weaver,
Director.

Vetoed by the Governor—May 28, 1969
House Bill No. 908—By Delegates Mackie and Burkheimer:

An Act to add new Section 119A to the Code of Public Local Laws of
Cecil County (1961 Edition, being Article 8 of the Code of Public Local
Laws of Maryland), title "Cecil County," subtitle "County Commission-
ers," to follow immediately after Section 119 thereof, to provide for the