The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-14
The Barbour Bill.

proposed by Mr.. JAS. Barbour of Culpep er
for the settlement Of the State debt, which
passed the House Of Delegates last Saturday
by vote of II to 40. Messrs Echols and
Hanger voting against and Mr.. Van Lear for
A Bill Imposing Tares on Real and Person.
I al Property to meet the accessory expenses
ofMe government. for public free school
purposes. for general school purposes, and
topay the interest on the public debt.
Whereas, the condition of the people OF
this Commonwealth is such as to render an
increase of the rate OF taxation upon prop.
erty impracticable, and the General Assem-
bly, of Virginia conced ing that it's power to
tax the property or person of the citizen
must at AL times be confined within the linn
its prescribed by what, in the judgement of
the General Assembly, is the ability of a
citizen to pay without ruinous damage to his
property and business, hereby declares that
the present of taxation-to wit: Fifty cents
on every 500 of the assessed value of prop :
erty, is the utmost limit to which the Gen
eral Assembly should proceed i'm levyino
taxes and whereas the revenues Of the
Commonwealth, With the present rate of
taxation (Which is the highest that should be
imposed, will not enable the Common
wealth to maintain its governmental organi-
cation by paying the necessary expenses
incident thereto under the most rigid system
of economy and to discharge its most con-
stitutional obligations to the system of free
schools, ordained by the fundamentallaw of
this Commonwealth, and to pay the present
rate OF interest on the amount claimed as
the principal OF the public debt and, where.
as, the preservation of the State government
is absolutely necessary, not only for the pro-
lection of the person and property of the
citizen of the Commonwealth, but for the
preservation of the rights, and promotion Of
the interest Of the creditor of the Common
wealth; therefore.
l. BE it enacted by tie General 4ssen157u.
That ON all tracts and lots of land, and
the improvements. thereon, not exempt from
taxation, and on all personal property and
chooses in action, and on all toll bridges and
ferries, there shall be a taX-first, OF twenty
five cents on every one hundred dollars of
the assessed value thereof, which shall be
paid and collected only in lawful money OF
the United States, for the exclusive purpose
Of defraying the necessary expenses of
maintaining the government of this Com
as the saidIdisbursement by prop
ar appropriateness of the General Assem-.
bly,; second, OF ten cents on every 500 OF
The assessed value thereof for public free
school purposes, which shall be paid and col
ected only in lawful money OF the Tn tied
States, and shall be paid into the treasury to
he credit of the public free school fund, and
shall be used for no other purpose whatever;
bird, of fifteen cents on every 800 of the |
assessed value thereof to pay the interest on
he public debt
=. 1t shall be the duty OF the Auditor Ct |
Public Accounts to have prepared as soon as |
n n
OF the revenue, with sufficient and |
appropriate columns, for designating and |
etting apart the several taxes hereby levied |
Or the objects and purposes herein recited. |
3. 1t shall be the duty of the treasurcrs or
tier collecting officers of the counties, cities,
nd corpora tons OF the Commonwealth. as
con as the comm issloners of the revenues
hall deliver their books OF assessment, to
ave made out tax bill, in which shall he !
pecfed the amount OF tax levied foreach ofthe I
imposes above named. and shall keep the /
Inc separate and distinct from each OF her
pom the books OF their Offices. The said
'easurers or other collecting officers shall,
5 soon as said books are delivered to them
nd the said tax bills made out, proceed to
ollect the same as now required by law, and
ay into the treasury the amounts so collect
d by them; which amounts shall be placed
, the credit OF accounts which shall be kept
the treasurer and denominated : first, the
count OF none y paid in and disbursed for
lie purpose of defraying the expense OF
the government OF the Conn
second the account of money
aid in and dishursed for public free school
lrposes third the account Of money paid in
I'd disbursed for paying the interest on the
lblic debt; and the funds so credited to
ese several accounts shall be disbursed for
e several purposes designated for the said
counts in such manner as may be pre-
ribed by law. r
4. The collectors of the public revenue
all in every respectconform to the require
ents of section 3 of this act in collecting
ID remitting said revenue, and upon q fail
e thereof Shall be proceeded against in the :
me mode rs is directed against the treasur-
S OF other collecting officers of the coun-
IS and corporations by existing laws,
S. This act shall be in force from its pas :
&c.