The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-27
CITIES ARRAYED
AGAINST COUNTRY
Feeling Is Aroused by Argu-
ncnt on Bill to Divide
Rolling Stock,
STATE SUPPORTED BY CITIES
Colonel Anderson and Judge
Williams Make Earnest
Arguments,
STATE SUPPORTED BY CITIES


10 pass this bin will not lie Justice,
but the exercise OF ruthless power
sa!d Assistant City Attorney George
Wayne Anderson, disc ussing last night
Before the Committee on Roads and In
tcrnal Navigation the bill TO divide
the rolling stock taxes on railroads
among the counties and cities through
which they run. For two and one-half
hours Colonel Anderson addressed the
committee. marshaling his figures in
steady array and with apparent effect.
The cities of Virginia pay the eX-
renses OF the State government, he
said. When The criminal expenses are
paid the pension claims met the school
fund settled and The State aid TO good
roads distributed. there is a dcficlt in
the State treasury so far as the money
paid in BY counties is concerned. The
cities pay tho salary OF the Governor,
the Secretary OF the Commonwealth
and OF the officers and employees OF all
depar tments paid direct from the pub
tic fund; they keep up the Capitol build
Ing Itself. supper; the asylums ana
prisons. e.
Division of Revenue.
Arguing that the division @. these
taxes would DO unfair in the extreme.
Iho fact that the cities have but little
roadbcd. but do care for a great amount
of The properties OF the railroad COM
panleS. 1t is proposed in the bill CON
sidered-that offered by Judge Martin
Williams-thai the money now paid 10
the cities which are the sites OF legal
resistance OF the companies shall he
divided among the counties and other
cities In the same proportion as the
al - 49, IL as ,kn
system, mainly right OF way and track
IN The count ties
He read list OF about twenty cities
and towns which would lose, to be rid
OF tho idea that four cities alone would
be aneCisd lie said that the cities
contribute the greater part OF the bus
mess carried by the rolling stock,
which gives the life to the roadbeds,
already taxed for the benent OF coun-
ties.
IS fair proposition, /, might be
said that cities and counties should d.
vide al railroad taxes equally, half
and half. He then showed that the
Chesapeake and Ohio now pays sl5.oe0,-
600 10 ihe counties and Slo.e01,o00 TO
ias cities. For the Norfolk and Vest
e.I the difference is practically the
Aane-aboui $500, o9e
Not Unjust to Counties.
II was admitted by Colone! Anderson
tifat perhaps the existing system works
some injustice TO other cities and 10
towns, but none, re maintained. to
fair 10 add 20 the counties revenues
that they shall receive taxes on
Sie,CGQ.0eG more tlan do tire cities.
TO say that because the present sys-
TEN Is unfair the PROPOSED plan IS fair
would ror follow. He mail,ained .has
.Ae Williams bill was intqu:tousiy III.
Es!-. uniusi!eed and unlust!hable
He then presented some startling ne
,!rss regarding Richmond. With oniys
STATE and - per ce;!t. Of the taxable
values the city pays ls.e per GEN.. oil
the gross revenue and so pei, cent. Of
all the ne, revenues OF Virginia. Sew
rIt"-aine per cent. or the people living
il. the counties pay only % per cent.
" the let revenue. while the per cent
i'll Richmond pay so per cent ThsI
city pays into the state treasury Sl5R,-
5aa..2 more thar all the 100 counties
combined
The aest Investment OF TIE country
sa!d Colonel Anderson. You could
vel! AFFORD to build two more cities
like Ri&aMond.'
.olons:.: AssdsrS%n Q ou 1fs' the pre-
,aolc - The st.ode bill Of tbs last
session. also Included in two OF. ;he
Sena 10 b!!ls a: this time, which set
forth that tAc localities provide hrc
and police protection. lie said u Is
Impossible 10. counties 70 pruvida such
protection IA anything like such meas
urc ~ is daMc in the citicy Tra!l,
I"obertcs are not committed in III.
cities, But in the country districts.
"ae!C there j. cut li,tl2 police power.
He offered amendments Designed 10
cut Out application OF ihr bill 10 elcC-
trio railroads, since cities have eX-
tended 10 them privileges and nave
contracts which were mad. with the
idea that cities woud continue 10 re-
"eivc taxes on rolling stock.
Then nc proposed q substitute bill,
ie said, tia, this legislature would
Tass some such bin, and mis- PROPOSE
,ioa would take away from Richmond
~ per cent Of its rolling stock taxes
;Hcclved from tine Chesapeake and
phio and SO per cent al that from
Nc southern lie suggested that the
basis used should eliminate the value
~ tl.c roadbed, aud divide the rev
1nuc on tho proportion Of all other
railroad property This would mate
sally hclp other cities through which