The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-07
THE SENATE

The Senate. by vote OF 81 to C,
Yesterday passed tho rolling stock bill
In the exact form In which ii was
reported from the House. 1t directs
the division OF the rolling stock tax
among the cities and counties of the
state in proportion to the assessed
value OF the railroad property therein
contained
Under the terms OF the law as passed
by the Legislature of 1912 the tax
was apportioncd on the basis OF %
per cent 10 the headquarters cities.
which had up to that time received the
entire tax. and Is per cent TO tho coun-
ties through which the railroads in
question passed. The law was COZ,
tested on constitutional grounds and Il
test case under 1t Is now pending
before the Supreme Court of Appeals
In the form in which II was passed
yesterday the home office cities ara
barred from any participation In tho
rolling stock tax save for the com
parativcly insignificant share that Will
accrue 10 them as their proportion on
the basis OF the actual railroad prop
crty and mileage within their cor
pnrate limits
Practically tho whole rolling stoc,,
TAX, uD 10 two years ago enjoyed cx-
cluSivcly by the cities in which tho
head Offices of tho railroads are located,
is under the new law diverted to tho
counties.
The passing or the bill by the Sem
ate ended a contest for participation In
the rolling stock tax. mat has been
waged hv the rural forces in the Gen
oral Assembly for more than two years.
Who night ~ both the session of 1912
and the present session was led by
senator Holt. OF Newport News, who is
the author OF the bill passed BY tho
Senate yesterday
How IL Affects Cities
Tho new law will greatly denletc tn q
revenues OF Richmond. Roanoke and
Petersburg. and other home Office
titles. which have been enjoying the
receipts from the rolling stock tax
ever since the establishment of rail-
roads in the state. In the case OF
Roanoke, according to Senator Hart.
who opposed the bill on the floor OF
tho Senate Yesterday. II win deprive
mat city of two-hftns OF It's total an
uual revenue.
Petersburg. said Senator Drewry, viii
suffer an annual loss OF about 500
ooo. The city of Richmond. which. unit!
the passage OF the law in 1912, col
i"cted about 100000 from this source.
Will lose approximately $4,000 Tho
offset in the case Of Richmond is ac-
counted for by the additional tax that
the city Will collect under the now
rolling stock law. rs the proporttDnato
share OF the tax that viii accrue to IL
by reason Of the high valuation OF
railroad terminals within the city
limits, upon which hitherto only a prom
crty tax has been levied
senator Hart introduced an amend
ment which would have provided for
division OF the rolling stock tax on
the basis OF rs per cent to the homo
office cities and SO per cent 70 the coun-
ties. The amendment was opposed by
senator Holt, who told the Senate that
hc had been informed by able coun-
sci That tho Incorporation OF such an
amendment would again result In he
cloudinS tho constitutionaity or tho
law and perhaps bar It's operation.
notwithstanding the assurance OF
Senator Hart that all OF the cities nf
fected would agree III tho amendment
were adopted to abide by tho law with
out contest, the Senate defeated tho