May 15, 2002

The Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis MD 21401

Dear Mr. President:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed Senate Bill 701 - Dorchester County - Office of Treasurer - Repeal.

Senate Bill 701 requires a question to be placed on the ballot in Dorchester County at the November 2004 general election to seek approval from the county's voters to repeal the provision of law that requires the Treasurer to be an elected position. If approved by the voters, the Office of the Treasurer would be replaced by the position of Tax Collection Supervisor. The Tax Collection Supervisor would be employed under the rules and regulations of the classified service of Dorchester County.

Section 4 of Senate Bill 701 provides that, "subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Act and for the sole purpose of providing for the referendum required by Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall take effect October 1, 2002." However, the referendum provisions in the bill are in Section 3, not Section 2. Further, the ballot question will not take place until the general election of 2004 and, if approved by the voters, the position of Treasurer will not be abolished until October 1, 2006. There will be an opportunity to correct this error in the 2003 Session of the General Assembly without impacting the goal of the bill.

For the above reasons, I have vetoed Senate Bill 701.

Sincerely,
Parris N. Glendening
Governor