Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-14
COMMITTEE ON TAX LAWS
PROMPTLY Gets TO WORK.
subcommittee Named, and Work
Will Be Carried Forward
Steadily.
ALL ESSENTIAL BILLS PASSED
Effort Now Is to Harmonic Existing
Statutes and Provide Machinery to
Put New Plan Into Operation
without Friction.

With the foundations laid BY the Cen
| eral Assembly at the special session
begun January Is for tho now system
OF taxation which 10 to be established
In Virginia, the Joint Committee on
| has lost no time In getting down to
work.
The body Of fourteen was organized
Friday night. Speaker Edwin p. Cox. of
the House OF Delegates. was elected
| chairman. 1t was decided to begin by
! apportioning the work. giving differ
ent divisions OF Il to subcommittee.
| Sessions will be held daily. The en-
j tire body OF fourteen is subject at all
timesto the call OF Chairman Cox, but
| Speaker Cox said yesterday that meet
ings OF tho whole joint committee would
| even eHpedient.
MANY SUCH COMMITTEES
TO STUDY DETAILS
| In some instances a division of the
work Is referred to single member,
acting az a subcommittee Of one: in
| other instances there are two or three
or more members of the body on n sub
committee. Where several members
constitute n subcommittee on some par
ticular subject or subjects. meetings
Will be held daily, II necessary, at the
| Capitol. In the case OF a member con-
sidering subject as a subcommittee of
one, he will do his work at home or at
his hotel
| The apportlonment of tho work will
and as the tax bills and other measures
| como from the Governor with the OK
ecutive's signature.
Two pages have been assigned, ono
from the Senate. tho other from tho
House OF Delegates, TO remain at tho
| nj al Htrt IA
In attendance upon the members OF the
Joint Committee on Tax Laws.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL.
! he PAID FOR THEIR TIME
| The members OF the body will re-
ceive In compensation for their work
during the three weeks s. day.
| Other members of the General Assem-
ply VIII receive no pay during the
recess. nor will they be paid for the
time they sit. beginning March 8. only
travelling expenses. at the rate Of 90
cents mile, 10 cents each way, going
and returning, will be allowed them.
The Joint Committee on Tax Laws
Will have completed the task now In
hand by March s, Il Is anticipated
They will pursue their search OF tho
codihed laws and OF the work Of COM
pilation along the systematic lines Of
the Tax Commission. with the ex-
perience OF that body 20 profit by they
\
com plioatfons and every occasion caus-
Ing delay. The task of the Joint Com
mittee on Tax Laws. OF course, Is much
simpler and more easily handled than
the work that occupied the Tax Com
mission many months. being also much
/ lighter in volume.
In appointing this joint committee
the General Assembly practically re-
solved Itself for the space OF three
weeks into a body OF fourteen.
ESSENTIAL BILLS ARE ALREADY
IN GOVERNORS HANDS
The tacit understanding Is between
the two branches that the counsel and
rulings OF the fourteen men shall be
accepted on all subjects. Neither
branch of the Legislature. however Is
obligated to accept the Judgment of
the Joint committee as Anal, and every
question raised will be subject to
debate and action by the Senate and
House. Only such bills dealing with
| taxation as have been passed by the
ernor are exempt from further amend
! ment and revision.
Speaker Cox said yesterday that tho
] sessions OF the whole committee and
the meetings Of the subcommittee will
he executive, but report will be is
sued each Friday on the progress made
| by the body during tho preceding week
in order that the public may be In
! formed
The Joint Committee on Ia. Law,
consists OF the following:
FROM the Senate-Senators B. r.
Buchanan. George L Fletcher, James Z.
cannon, John Paul. John r. Saunders,
j. Harding Walker and ". A. Garrett.
| From the House OF Delegates
Speaker Edwin P. Cox. Walter T.
| oliver, Aubrey G. Weaver, Martin VIII
liams. Hugh A. White. Richard L
4 "