1124                             Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 507

or by any citizen, provided, however, that no such charges may be
filed by a citizen, without the consent of the appointing authority
or of the Commissioner, and such charge shall within ninety days
after filing, be heard, investigated and determined by the Com-
missioner or by some person or board appointed by the Commis-
sioner to hear, investigate and determine the same.

The finding and decision of the Commissioner or of such person
or board when approved by the Commissioner shall be final, and
shall be certified to the appointing authority and shall be forth-
with enforced by such authority.

The Commissioner shall, by rule, prescribe what may constitute
cause for removal, but no removal shall be allowed because of the
religious or political opinions or affiliations of any employee. The
provisions of this section shall apply to the demotion of an employee
as described in Section 31 of this article.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1970.

Approved April 28, 1970

CHAPTER 507
(House Bill 1113)

AN ACT to add a new Section 30 (e) to Article 81 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title "Revenue
and Taxes," subtitle "Rate of Tax," to follow immediately after
Section 30(d) thereof, providing in Allegany County that the
Board of County Commissioners may impose less than the full
county tax rate within the limits of any municipal corporation in
view of certain services furnished by the municipal corporation.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 30(e) be and it is hereby added to Article 81 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title
"Revenue and Taxes," subtitle "Rate of Tax," to follow immediately
after Section 30(d) thereof, and to read as follows:

30.

(e) In Allegany County the Board of County Commissioners in
levying taxes for the support of the County government may impose
less than the full county tax rate upon county taxpayers owning
property within the limits of any municipal corporation if in the
discretion of the County Commissioners the lesser rate is equitable
in view of services furnished by the municipal corporation which
duplicate, or make unnecessary the providing of therein, similar serv-
ices furnished elsewhere in the county by the Board of County Com-
missioners.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1970.

Approved April 28, 1970