Special Assistant Attorney General: Edmond H. Johnson.
Chief Engineer: Wilson T. Ballard.

The Commission consists of three members appointed by the Gov-
ernor for no specific term of office. One shall be appointed from
that one of the two leading political parties opposite to the Governor's
political party.

The Governor designates a Chairman who shall also be the Director
of the Department of Public Works (Chapter 29, 1922).

The State Roads Commission administers all financial and physical
transactions applicable to the construction and maintenance of all
State roads and bridges on the "Road System. (Chapter 539, 1931.)
The construction of new roads, and other projects, on the System, is
financed from a portion of the proceeds of one and one-half cent
(1 1/2 c) gasoline tax, Federal Aid, and with contributions from the
counties through bond issues, together with a portion of the one-half
cent 1/2 c) Gasoline Tax, a portion of the two cent (2c) Gasoline Tax,
and a portion of the Commission's participation in revenue from Com-
missioner of Motor Vehicles. New bridges on the State System of
roads, likewise are constructed from proceeds of the Construction
funds.

In fourteen of the twenty-three counties of the State, the State
Roads Commission of Maryland has been delegated the authority of
performing all necessary functions in connection with the maintenance
of County Systems of Roads and Bridges. The cost of maintenance
of the County Systems of Roads and Bridges is charged to those
funds allotted to the Counties from the one and one-half cent (1 1/2 c)
Lateral Gasoline. Tax, and administered by the Commission for use
of the respective counties (Chapter 425, 1933, Chapter 465, 1935,
Chapter 341, 1937, and Chapter 766, 1939).

At the session of the General Assembly 1941 the administration
of the Lateral Gasoline Tax Fund was changed by Chapter 888.
An important modification of the previous law permitted additional
counties to maintain and to construct roads under the County System
and likewise changed the previous law with respect to use of the
Lateral Gasoline Tax Fund by the Counties for the payment of debt
service and county obligations, except in connection with those
counties which by a previous Act had dedicated a part of the Lateral
Tax to service bond obligations. Since the passage of the Bill at
the 1941 session the following counties will maintain their own roads,
beginning October 1st. Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick,
Garrett, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Washington.

At the session of the Legislature 1939 the two most important
measures passed affecting the application of road income were
(a) The Act controlling the administration of road funds for the
use of the Counties. Under the Act, at least fifty percent.
(60%) of the funds allotted to the use of the counties from
the one and one-half cent ((1 1/2 c) Lateral Gasoline Tax fund
must be applied and expended in the construction of new
roads as part of the State System. This will insure the con-
struction of additional miles of new roads;

(b) The Budgetary provision with respect to the Diversion of road
incomes to other than road purposes. Under the provisions
of the Appropriation Bill, large amounts of funds previously
applied to purposes other than road construction and main-
tenance, have been applied to no other purposes than road
development, and as a consequence larger amounts than pre-