The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-17
HOLT BILL GOES
THROUGH SENATE
AMENDMENT TO ROLLING STOCK
HiLL FURTHER REDUCES TAX
IN HOME CITY
HOUSE TO ACCEPT 1T
MR. PAUL OF ROCKINGHAM DE-
CLaREs "MY cot MY" RAs
TtkE> PlAoU WHICH SHOULD
nE my STATE"
HOUSE TO ACCEPT 1T


informal NAVIGATION. the Senate yes-
ierd.g s.y a vote of 81 to : passed the
tiars. rolling stock bin after accept
ing amendments offered by Saxon w.
N Holt Senator from Newport News.
Tho vote was taken after % two hours
q. bate. resumed a. 1880 0 CLOCK
where interrupted Ivy adjournment
THURSDAY.
Hoits amendments sppcrtion the
tsN on d bAsss Of IS per cent to rail-
We, town and rs per cent. to other
TOWNS and counties Tie law WA
bscurne effective in January. 1919,
ct4ttinE the cities out of Years taN
they hoped to gain by the committee
amendments which made ne law be
come effective IL July, 1913 The
com rlittee amcndme nts, rejected, dis
lrihuJed the tax OF q basis Of 40 per
Eat TO cities in which are located
he'd Offices Of railways The bin as
ps d 10y the Housr gave cities no
advantage
3chn Pauf-seuator from Rocking
har1. made remarkable speech in
sppoxit on 70 the bill iSy unanimous
consent the Senate extended his time
when NJ was forced to quit because
the time set for ii vote had arrived
I come from a county said Mr..
Paul. that viii receive s2oo. 600 in
increased assessments Ivy this bill.
but ! do not believe there is man
IN the Senate who Is more opposed
To II than ] am. The only argument
IN favor OF tha bill is the fact that
counties want the tax. There are "A
number OF good reasons why II should
not be passed. Even If a slight in
justice IL done one or two cities In
the State II is no reason why greater
wrong should be perpttrated. The
only thing for the bill is the cry,
my county ! have heard this SO
often since I have been here that
/ wonder II we haven't forgottem our
State. Are you represe nttBg the State
Of Virginia when you throw into
bankruptcy enc Of the largest cities
she has?
@-PeopleL In nay t41.a. r. t-t,4a plain
ing of unequal distribution OF as
sessments, We need this tax ana
want it, but the county OF Rocking
ham is no; willing to tighten its bur
den 10 make heavier thu burden OF
q city that is already carrying "a
heavier load than IT Is We do not
want TO gain this tax at the expense
of city that needs II worse.
1T looks TO me as If senators are
thinking too much about the mate
rial benefits to counties and are over
looking their duty to the State at
large. A mans duty TO his county is
not greater than his duty to his State
and 10 right and justice
says Change VIII Bankrupt Roanoke,
Declaring Roanoke schools cannot
exist without the tax because the
school tax IL already all the. con-
stitution will allow. Mr.. Hart said
That as his city educates children of
Norfolk and Western employees 1,
ZhnIll6 Far SsiY hs. 4Sza
road Five thousand people he said
are employed in the n. & W. shops
and 10000 are dependent on the rail
road for living.-Eew- of these tco-
pie pay tax and the city IN forced 10
educate their children from the roll
ing stock tax. Every piece OF rolling
stock that goes through a county is
accompanied by railway employees IN
charge They. he declared live fol
the most part in Roanoke and edu.
cate their children in Roanoke
schools
Counties under the Holt amend
fnent." said Mr. Hart. "Will receive
20 per cent, of the total railway tax.
yet cities protect railway property
with their Are and police departments.
Even under the committee amend
sneDt cities wouId receiver only 50 per
cent. OF the total tax This fact alone
committee amendment,
The tax commission advises a dis
Trihutton similar 10 the one In the
committee amendment. This bill will
ruin the prosperity of the city it is
my honor to represent.
Cities already pay larger share Of
the States taxes than counties OF
he total population OF the State only
II IL per cent, live in cities. yea IS
nf bl g
the State is In towns. Twenty per
cent. Of the people Of the State with
10 per cent. of The assessed property
pay more than 30 per cent. OF the
net tax that goes into the State treas
'1hsnk vie were 10 continue to
enjoy this tax we have gone ahead
and improved our city. We have
lighted the shops OF the Norfolk and
Western, where its rolling stock is
repaired and built. You would put
us out Of business at one below. You
Will take s2s. 0oe from Roanoke
schools. The city al Roanoke rays
into the State Treasury in taxes s75.~
zoe every year. viii the counties do
This after they get the tax You know
hey wall nut. THIS bii4 take. AWAY
irori Richmond. $3.50 900; Norfolk.
$4,000; Roanoke. s14T. 600 and from
says Counties are Liberal.
Counties are liberal in allowing
cites 25 Dlr cent. declared Mr.. Royal,
WHO said he faro~eG Ghe bin in The
form II passed the House He was of
he opinion that counties were con
sed!ng something In agreeing TO the
3olt amendment Tonnage that keeps
the railroads. he said. comes from
counties. Coal hauled TO Norfolk
over the Norfolk and Western does
not ccme from Roanoke but from the
mountain counties in the western part
Of the State
In 1894 when ] was member OF
the House, h said. the city attor-
aeE o. Roanoke declared n given the
IAN until isl3 he town could survive
that after that time il would not need
the tax
Principle OF Common Law
Mr.. Drewry. of Petersburg where
head cFnces OF the Seaboard Air Line
are located, declared nen the road
put its headquarters in his CITY Il
was given property TO the amount of
1880 with the understanding that
the offices were TO remain fh4re This
Was done TO take advantage OF the
rolling stock tax. II In a prIocinle
Of the common ias. he said, thai ne
aonal property be taxed where the
owner resides. An owner ~ a rail-
road Is supposed To live where the
headquarters are located
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