Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-14

MILLION SHORTAGE.
Bill Waiting Until
Senators and Delegates Settle Per-
picking Issue.

Richmond. Feb. 14.-After remain
ing in eclipse for nearly five weeks
! the tax reform question has emcrg-
ed as the State legislative problem
f; of ranking Importance, and for the
next two weeks it promises to hold
the center of the stage in the Cen
eral Assembly. The spotlight will be
contested by the Mapp prohibition
bill and the coordinate college meas
ure-both on the calendar and await
ing action-but the question of prov
iding additional revenue to stave of!
deficit of Approximately $l,O00.0O0
in 1917 promises to hold first place.
Until the tax question is settled it
will be impossible to frame the ap-
preparation bill. since the libel'ality
Of its provisions for schools, colleges
and various other public institutions
will be determined by the amount of
revenue that the State will receive in
the next two years. Chairman Brewer.
of the House Appropriations Com
mttce, said last night that while his
budget for 1861 is practically COM
plete. the appropriations for the year
following will not lie determined un-
til the question Of additional revenue
is definitely settled.
Numerous, hearings jaavc been held
by both Finance Committees with the
view of arriving at Il solution of the
vcying revenue problem For the most
part. these hearings have be:n in eX
ecutivc session. The policy of these
committees in closing to interested
parties the discussion dealing with
proposals to increase their taxes has
been sharply criticized in many quar-
ters. To the criticisms the commit
tee members have uniformly replied
that the executive sessions were held
for reasons of eXpediency. and that
at the proper time everybody inter
eSted would be given hearing.
The Senate Committee on Financ.
has taken a step in 5his direction by
fixing several public hearings this
week for discussion of the various
tax increases that have been suggest
ed. The first Of these will take place
at So'clock tonight in the courtroom
of the State Corporation Commits
sion. 1t will deal only with the pro
posed increase in the franchise tax
Of railroad corporations and prob
ably with the suggested reasscssment
of railroad property.
Counsel for the railroad companies,
who were denied admittance to the
hearing of the Senate Finance Com
mittec on Friday night. at which
time members of the State Corpora
tion Commission and Gov. Stuart
laid before the Committee their advice
on the proposed increase. were inclin-
ed to criticize the course that has
been pursued in this connection.
pointing out that they will be expect
ed to defend their cause tonight
without having been given the usual
opportunity of hearing the reasons
advanced in support Of the franchise
tax increase.
Tomorrow night the Senate Fin
ance Committee vii lhcar public
discussion of omitted taxes and the
tax on capital invested in business
and real estate. On Wednesday night
the same committee will hold a pub
lie hearing on the proposed increase
in the tax on merchants and the
tax on light. heat .nd water com
panics. All hearings will take place
at 8o'clock in the State Corporation
Commission courtroom.
Students of the partial segrega
ton system put INFO effect by thu
special session of 1915, including the
chairman of the House Finance Com
mittee declare it to have been th'
cardinal sin of the special session
that it made the rates too low. The
impending deficit of 1917, it is stat
ed, is in no way due to the waknes:
of the partial segregation scheme
but solely to the fact, that the Gen
eral Assembly ovelestimated the in
/; come from some sources, and was il