Smyrna times., 1921-03-02
sOLONS AT DOVER FIND THE
SCHOOL CODE BIG QUESTION
FIXING TIME FOR CLOSING DOES
NOT HASTEN ACTION
Some Think Bill viii Meet Defeat But
a Repeater Cannot Be Passed Over
Governors Veto

With few of the several hundreds of
bills on the calendars acted on, Della
ware Legislators are getting anxious
to fix a day for final adjournment, so
the indications are that there will be
busy days for the law makers the re-
minder of the session. The Senate
has already acted favorably on Sena-
tor Shorts concurrent resolution, fix
ing March rs, for adjournment and
the House will likely consider the reso-
luton favorably this week. The week
just ended was about repetition of
every week since about the Legisla-
ture convened early in January. There
were few bills passed and little other
business transacted. 1t is expected
that the new bill to establish a paid
fire department for Wilmington intro
duced by Senator Robertson several
days ago, will be acted on this week
and there is every reason to believe
that this bill will pass. The bill makes
the Board of Police Commissioners a
Department of Public Safety to have
charge of the paid fire department and
continues in Office the present Police
Commissioners, Samuel K. Smith,
William B. Megear and General 1.
Pusey Wickersham for 6, and 2
years respectively. AS far as can be
learned the new bill meets all the OBJ
jections that were made by some
Democrats to the first Paid Fire De-
partment Bill, introduced by Senator
Lutz.
Action on School Law Still Distant
The revised tax provisions of the
proposed school law will probably be
ready for consideration early next
week and it is just possible that the
school bill with the tax provisions will
be far enough advanced by the end OF
this week for a vote in the House, al
though it is predicted by most of those
legislators who have been active in
assisting to get the bill in shape that
the House will not vote on it before
next week. While the tax provisions
have been revised they come far from
meeting general approval and the gen.
eral opinion seems to be that the
school bill will have rough Shedding tt
get through with the tax provision:
attached. Two changes that have beer
made would make the graded income
tax provision start with the year 1927
intead of being retroactive as provid
ed in the original draft, and woulC
provide for a So filing fee for all wht
make income tax returns instead O.
the $5 minimum or capitation tax a
originally provided. This means tha
every citizen, and, in fact, every firm
or corporation making an income ia,
return, and every citizen is requires
to make the return under the bill
viii have to pay the proposed So fill
ing fee.
Objections to Tax on Corporations
The Senate and House committee
on education have also decided to ex
empt railroads, telephone and express
companies, that pay a lump tax il
lieu of other taxes, from the provis
ions of the proposed per cent. ia,
on the income Of business done b.
corporations within the State. Their
still remains, however, much objec
tion to this feature and it may b
further amended before it is fnall
voted on in either House. There ar
number of lawyers who hold tina
this provision may seriously affec
general corporation or charter busi
ness from which a large portion 0
the State revenue is received, notwith
standing the contention of some of tn
!, senators to the contrary.
Elimination of Transportation
AS to the school bill itself, there
not near the discussion and intereS
over its provisions as there is relativ
to the tax features. The eliminatin
of transportation features, attendant
officers and supervisors and the n
ducing of the tax on real estate to
cents, it would seem, would meet mos
all objections, but there still remain
a number of members of the Legisl;
ture who are opposed to the propose
new law regardless of all of thes
concessions. There are many persol
who have been in close touch wit
the situation at Dover who expre
the opinion that the final result w
be the defeat of the proposed bill Wi
the result that the present law wou
remain in force for at least two mo
years. Others give it as their OPT
ion that not only will the propos
law meet defeat, but that the prese
law will be repealed. Few, howev'
go so far as to predict that the schC
law opponents can muster enou
strength to pass the repealer over
veto of the Governor, should he W
it in case of its passage.
School Code Bi gQuestion