Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-04
CITIES ASK RELIEF
: FROM NEW TAX LAW

CONTINUED from Firs. rase)
will close AN extremely successful year,
since it now has a surplus OF appr"%i-
matcy 100000. while the cities
counties and towns viii be materially
benefited. Representatives. declared that
/, the segregation act had cut SubStanti.
ti!y into thei. revenues. and with the
steadily increasing cost of operation
the only solution, unless there IL
readiustncnt of taxes by the I.csisl.-
ture. is increased local assessments
With Federal taxes, imposed because
ef this country's participation IN the
war. reaching a l;sh figure, il would
Dc extremely unjust 10 increase Local
assessments. unless such action Mas
absolutely necessary for the future of
the communities.
In event that the iirs. plan outlined
BY the conference Is not believed ad-
Nisablc for any reason, the committee
viii recommend as an alternative. that
tlc state tax OF 10 cents on each 800
al value OF real estate. including the
real estate OF public service corpora
CONS. he released TO tho localities from
which they arc collected. Such lesis-
laticn would reduce the States revc-
nue. ny more than $500, 600 releasing
that sum 10 tho localities from which
IL Is now collected.
Tha, this legislation he made cnec-
tive for the year 1918, If practicable
VIII be strongly urged.
COMMITTEE TO APPEAR
BEFORE LEGISLATLRE
The committee which will appear be-
FIBRE the General Assembly is composed
Norfolk: w. T. Swami, Danvi!e; Will
lian, II. Snead, lynchburg; j. w. Hal
loway, Farmvilc: George 5. Crcnshaw.
Richmond; DR.. IL. w. Campbell. Suf-
folk: J. l.. Maphis. Winchester; T.. IL.
/. Tucker, Roanoke; Robert Gillian, Pc
l.rsburg; ~ 7. Rowe. Fredericksburg
and II. Il. Pollard. Richmond. Mr. Pol
lard, the CITY Attorney. was made a
member OF the committee for the es-
pecial purpose OF drawing the ncccs-
sarr bills TO carry cat the rccommen-
dations of tho conference.
Several representatives from various
sections OF the state did not arrive III
Richmond in time for the conference.
because Of conGcstcd railroad facili-
ties. 1t had been expected that the
meeting would at least continue
through toda-, but greater Roadway
than had been anticipated WAS made
yesterday.
Mayor Anslic, or this city, opened
the meeting. and called attention 10 the
fact that cities had been seriously al
fccted by the segregation act, and said
that relief was imperative. That the
segregation system OF taxation had
many good features he admitted. for II
had increased the surplus in the State
Treasury. and promised further 10 in
crease it,
NOT CONTEMPLATED TO
PILE IP SURPLUS
'Eut do not think such an increase
is desired" he said. when it is made
at the expense OF the cities. do no,
think that IL was ever contcmplat cd
20 create a AltrpluS for tho state, and
TO keep adding to it, We prefer tc
keep the revenues OF Virginia down t.
as nearly as possible the operating cx.
penscs OF the government"
There followed general discussio:
Of tho effect the segregation act hat
upon municipalities. representatives
from each city aud town offering state.
mcnts showing individual losses. Nvcr!
city suffered. the loss being dspcndcu
entirely upon tho taxable properties o.
that municipality. There was no At
tack On tic law itself. but member:
merely wanted the rough spot:
smoothcd. and more equitable dlstri
button OF funds made. The State wa:
prosperins, carrying forward large
surplus, while the cities were suffer
ing, and conditions were going from
bad TO worse, they said.
The two principal features OF Tho
the tax on bank stock The city %
Richmond now has test cases OF boil
pending before the Virginia Suprem,
Court OF Appeals and while rs set /
has not lost by the operation OF either
1t viii he forced to refund heav,
amounts in event tha, the assignment
are not sustained BY the appclla,
court, The morning session Of the con
ference. which opened al 1913 o'cloch
was taken UP with general discussion
RESOLUTIONS EXPRESS
VIEWS or CONFERENCE
Shortly after tho opening Of tho AZ
tcrnoon session the taxation committc
OF the Virginia League o: Municipalitie
submitted it's report and rccoNrnc nd
tons This report was adopted as cS
pressing the sentiment o: the confer
cnce. and Is as follows:
we recommend the approval OF tn
plan of State Auditor OF Public AZ
counts c. Lee Moore outlined on pas
IL Of report OF Auditor OF Public AZ
counts. dated September 30 1917, an
:. that said items OF taxation be release
info the localities from which said Ia
Z was collected for local taxation asEr,
4 eating s4ss,ooo
I'm addition thereto that one-thii
u OF the State tax on incomes be returnt
c 20 the localities from which said Ia
was collected. asEregatin. $4,000
making a total OF s6s2.ooo.
And as an alternative. in the eve
. that said plan cannot be made ene
tive. we recommend that the state 4
Of 10 cents on each 800 OF tall
OF innllIdir,r- 1