The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-08
HOUSTON TO OFFER
|! FEE REFORM BILL
Hampton Delegates Prepares
Plan for Turning Excessive
Amounts Into Treasury.
GOES TO ROADS OR SCHOOLS
Gives Graduated Allowance Ac-.
cording to Population.
Text of Bill.
GOES TO ROADS OR SCHOOLS

| Harry L. Houston, of Hampton. a
member OF the House of Delegates.
and candidate for the caucus chair
manship. has prepared bill for the
regulation of the fec system. less dras-
tic i'm it's terms than some of those Of
fcrcd ut tho last session, but which,
the patron believes. will meet the OBJ
vious needs by providing that cXccs-
sivc fees shall he paid into the county
or city treasury. After providing for
payment OF necessary expenses of the
offices. the amount to be retained by
any fec officer is To he regulated by
tho population of the district served,
the bill providing "a maNimum amount
that may be retained by any officer.
Mr.. Houston has not nlled In tho
amounts rs yet. leaving them TO be
determined after conference with fell
low members Of the General Assembly.
Text of BiIi.
The text Of the Houston bill fol
lows:
TO fix the salaries of city. county
and district officers. to provide for the
disposition of fees received by them.
to provide. how such fees shall be APP
piled. and to pay the surplus OF such
fees into the local treasures for use
for public roads and schC OILS.
BE il enacted by tho General AS
sembly of Virginia THAT all city. coun-
~ and district officers whose cornpcn-
sation is paid in whole or in part by
the payments OF fees, Shall. when this
law becomes operative, ne governed by
the following regulations:
|. Such officers shall collect tho fees
which are now or may hereafter lie
provided lay law To be charged for their
services, and keep an accurate account
thereof, a report Of which shall be fled
q N ia ItrSfl hn 4
ton Court. They shall apply the gross
fees so collected by them as follows:
(a) To the payment OF such sums as
may he necessary to defray expenses
of efficiently conducting their respec-
tive oiiices--the amount of which cy-
penses shall be regulated annually by
such officers but only upon the APP
proval thereof by the Judge OF their
rcpesctive Circuit Court OF counties or
Corporation or Hastings Courts of
cities.
OBJ After tho payment of such OK
penses Of conducting their respective
Offices as hcreinbefore provided for
they shall retain for themselves a sum
not exceeding s. per annum for
every 1000 and fraction thereof over
SOC Of population of such county or city
rs shown by tho last United States
census: and.
(c) After paying said Office expenses
and retaining the fees for themselves
| rs hereinbefore provided for. they shall
| pay the balance of such fees collected
| for the preceding calendar year into
their respective county or city treas
uries on before the 10th day Of
January Of each year, taking the re-
ceipt OF the respective trcasurers
therefor and exhibiting the same 10
tho Board Of Supervisors or City
Council. as the case may be, which
balance may be appropriated by said
Board or Council. TO local school. or
road purposes. Provided, however, that
the fees retained by any such officer Of
a county for himself shall in no case
exceed s. per annum, nor shall
those of any such officer OF city in
amy case exceed s. per annun.
q BE it further enacted that. by rea
son OF the numerous duties imposed by
law upon the city. county and district
officers. for which no fees are allowed,
and the fact that in many OF the small
er cities and counties I'm the Common
wealth. the fees hereby allowed will
not provide reasonable compensation
/ for the services required To he render
ed. III addition to the foregoing pro-
. visions Of this act. the boards Of SUI
pcrvisors of the several counties and
/ the Councils OF the several cities are
hereby authorized TO pay from the re-
spcctive trca surics of tile several coun-
| ties and cities such salaries TO their
/ respective officers as arc now or may
/ be hereafter allowed by law to he paid
| to them
/ 9. This act shall become effective as
/ to each officer when the present term
OF the present officer shall expire.