Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-14

,. s5.57l.432
have have treated the assessed values of
1919 ana 1870 the same 1915
One Mill and Motor Tax Enough.
The one mill tax with the fifty $50,
per cent increase in the automobije
tax produces more than suffici.nt to
match the Federal aid, with which We
are at this session chiefly concerned.
Term the normal automobile tax dur
elusive. about .3,Soco 900 for main
;. Should the General Assembly under
h saKc more am bilious scheme Of road
sums OF money from taxation tb,n
are sh necessary TO meet the Federal aid
mhich is Of, OF course, no limit to the tax
eheciuate that purpose ' TO
sy the Act OF Assembly approved
i ihhdnction into office. and Of which
should be adjusted. il is provided Tn thao
Highway system shall be esta nS state
constructed and maintained exciusiveiv
s ey me Htate under the direction and
missioner who. by another provision
or The law, is vested with the authority
10 10 locate .,aas and establish by surveys or
act routes to he followed by the roads
comprising" the system laid out in the
Under an act approved March 6 1aos
Lnere Is created State Highway Com,
mission composed Of the State hiChwav
Ge:S nnn1nel 9e who is appointed by the
1ect 70 confirmation OF the General AS
sembly in Joint session, and who al
"a s Snn reeves an annual salary OF
Eineerlng OF the University OF Virginia,
me Virginia Military institute. and the
SSaTTiEin,a Agricultural and Mechanical
are designated by the boards of visitors
OF the respective institutions. the
powers OF the academic members OF
however. for 1t is provided that "Ths
state highway commissioner may cali
nrobem nor S Sm entFS e eFhsE
three members of the commission "or
any one or two Of them" They re-
engaged on work of the commission.
Administrative Machinery.
Under the Code of 1919. which be-
comes effective January IS. 1920. the
a e,im by the boards of visitors
provides that the commissioner. TO.
gethsr with these three professors.
C shall II constitute the state Highway
1t is required in the present law that
tn. STATE state highway Commissioned Of
versed S'at in a and bS eg ensrser we'll
missioner has the authority to APP
point mt, an assistant. who also must be
approval Of the Governor and the menu e
bers of the Commission, such other
assistants and clerks as may be need
ed.
In entering upon so extensive a road
building program as the one required
to complete the established highway
system. II is desi BILE that administra-
GENTLY and successfully handle the
problem. Experience in State govern
m , in this country during the past
shown the fallacy of decentralizing adj
ministrative control and responsibility.
From different sources are heard sug-
administering the construction of the
highway system In Virginia is TO elect
the the STATE hIghway c9nmissioner by
a survey OF the highway laws OF the
other States of the Union shows. for
instance. that Of the forty-four States
having highway departments there is
only one. Michigan. in which the COM
missioner is elected by the people. In
eighteen States the commissioner. or
Office is called in some States. is APP
pointed by the State Highway Com !
fission or a similar body. In the large |
majority Of cases. the members of
arc appointed by. the Governor. In
twenty-three Of the other twentv-1vc |
States the commissioner is appointed |
direct by the Governor. usually sub
ject to tho consent OF the senate. In
other words. in forty-one States the
State Highway Commissioner is either |
directly or indirectly placed under the |
control of the executive, and is no,
set up as an independent. uncontrolled |
agency OF government In no State |!
Is the commissioner elected by the |
LEGISLATURE.
Authority Is Dinused.
Speaking Of the structural weak
nesses OF our State government, the
Virginia Commission on Economy and