diff --git a/vtm-extras/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap2/OSciMap2TileSource.java b/vtm-extras/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap2/OSciMap2TileSource.java
index 5a8f8208..6df01661 100644
--- a/vtm-extras/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap2/OSciMap2TileSource.java
+++ b/vtm-extras/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap2/OSciMap2TileSource.java
@@ -197,7 +197,6 @@ public class OSciMap2TileSource extends UrlTileSource {
 			}
 
 			mElem.layer = 5;
-			mElem.priority = 0;
 			//mElem.height = 0;
 			//mElem.minHeight = 0;
 
@@ -252,7 +251,8 @@ public class OSciMap2TileSource extends UrlTileSource {
 						break;
 
 					case TAG_ELEM_PRIORITY:
-						mElem.priority = decodeVarint32();
+						//mElem.priority = 
+						decodeVarint32();
 						break;
 
 					default:
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/core/MapElement.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/core/MapElement.java
index eb282738..91e31722 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/core/MapElement.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/core/MapElement.java
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@
  */
 package org.oscim.core;
 
-// TODO
-// - make this class (and description) more generic or
-// move it to tilesource package
-
 /**
  * The MapElement class is a reusable containter for a geometry
  * with tags.
@@ -30,12 +26,9 @@ package org.oscim.core;
  */
 public class MapElement extends GeometryBuffer {
 
-	/** OSM layer of the way */
+	/** layer of the element (0-10) overrides the theme drawing order */
 	public int layer;
 
-	/** priority for labeling */
-	public int priority;
-
 	public final TagSet tags = new TagSet();
 
 	public MapElement() {
diff --git a/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap4/TileDecoder.java b/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap4/TileDecoder.java
index b053c59e..df8fce61 100644
--- a/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap4/TileDecoder.java
+++ b/vtm/src/org/oscim/tiling/source/oscimap4/TileDecoder.java
@@ -264,7 +264,6 @@ public class TileDecoder extends PbfDecoder {
 		}
 
 		mElem.layer = 5;
-		mElem.priority = 0;
 
 		while (position() < end) {
 			// read tag and wire type