Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-08
GREGORY OBJECTS
TO ANOTHER BOARD
Says Tax Plan Would Cost State
$25,000 Per Annum-Wants
Each Section Represented.
MONTAGUE DEFENDS REPORT
House Finance Committee Spends
Busy Day Studying Work of
Tax Commission.

Tax Commission.
Tie Finance Committee of the House
OF Delegates made further progress
1 with It's review OF the Tax Commits
son's report at the two sittings yes
tcrday. After devoting the mornini;
partly to hearing from Il delegation
representing the business interests of
Alexandria, who submitted some ideas
regarding the license tax on, merchants.
ana partly TO consideration OF the se;,-
rcration system Of taxation. the com
mittec spent the afternoon hours in "A
heart. heart talk over sections on tn g
commission system.
The many Inquiries elected By the
reading OF the two tax bills carried In
the report. and the argument provoked
b% the answers given by Hill Montague
and d. II. Pitts. members OF the com
tJnittee who served on the Tax Com
mission. denote that fcw OF the mem
hcrs pretend TO - clear and comprc-
hcnsivc understanding Of the proposed
tax measure. The committee in seq
sion irGprcusos the few observers at
tactcd by the deliberations as n boG,-
of earnest men, intent upon obtaiEiu.,
AN Intelligent grasp upon the problems
Involved IN the contemplated revision
OF the tax code
COMMTrrEE:,iEN SEEK
DETAILED INFORMATION
The committees object in voluu-
tar!ly gathering here :. week in ad-
vance OF the special session OF the
General Assembly. is that it's members
may be so fortified with information
that when they are called upon 10 act
after the General Assembly has con
"ened. they may act quickly and intel
ligcntly, thus facilitating the mpor-
tant business for which the special
session was called. This information
they are seduiously seeking and gain
ing AS the proposed tax bills are read
and discussed.
Senator Lcsncr. OF Norfolk. appeared
Yesterday and arranged for n hearing
TO be given delegation of business
men from his city on Monday at noon
The committee is welcoming rcprescn-
tatives OF every interest in the State.
ana all may have ~ hearing
MIR. Monts;;uc WAS quick TO reply 10
every objection offered To the commits
sion system, which he is advocating
as !, stands ia the report. mt yester-
days sessions
The moro you consider this blll The
more firmly you must tie convinced
that this is the system that will best
make FOR the equalization OF taxes
he said. when the committee was dis
cnsainG railroad taxation ut the after
noon session
We have not put the assessments
Of railroads on the State Corporation
Commission because that body mas
many other important things TO occupy
its attention. Tho Corporation Com
mission Is an important and valuable
body 20 the State but it can render
better service looking after other
phases OF the railroad corporations
amt the general run OF corporations.
SAYS SEGREGATION WuHKS
HARDSHIP ON SOME COMMUNITIES
Replying to question of Captain
W. w. Baker. u. II. Pitts. OF the Tnx
Commission said:
When wc were working out the
report. we found that complete segre-
cation of taxes worked hardship on
some localities. Take SUFFOLK. for cx-
ample. which lives largely on railroad
taxes. We found n number OF towns
hkcwise circumstanced. If we took Ger
tain taxes away from these towns. thcy
would have no revenue left
Then when we considered partial
segregation. we found that plan too
complicated 1t led into n bewilderin.
maze. too difficult and intricate 10 fol-
low We have worked out tho best
possible plan"
Mr. Montague took up the argument:
This bill TO create a Tax Commission
engaged us steadily for three weeks ;"
ne SAID 1T is the best possible system
'hat can he worked out for Virginia
III erect IL Is This: 1t is an effort on
'he part OF the State to furnish three
men, III the name Of the Common
Mcai'h ana In the interest Of its peo-
pie, to guide and direct the assessors
ana commissioners of the revenue
There is no more power vested in Tho
three men than they should have
Under the present system, commission
ers of the revenue in different counties
have their own way of doing the States
business, ana know nothing of the
methods employed by other commits
sioners in other counties"
SALARY OF $1,000 EACH NOT
roo MUCH, SAYS MONTAGUE
Later. discussing the salary to be
paid Mr.. Montague said: There is
no occasion to regard $4,000 a year as
rat salary for n competent tax com
missioner. We recommend that amount
because yon can't get capable men for
pitiful salaries. The Corporation Com
missioners are paid that much"
Mr. Gregory: "One objection | have
TO your bill is that 1t does not specify
from what parts of the State the Gov
ernor Is to select tho three men for
appointment"
Mr. Montague: when we we're dis
cussing that matter, we thought it
best to leave 1t to the good Judgment
or the Governor. recall that ! sug-
gested one OF the men should bc from
west of tho Alleghanics, another from