Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-25
DEVELOPMENT AID
LEGISLATION ASKED
Bill by Senator Ball Would
Provide 100000 for
Virginia Projects.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
RICHMOND, Va. February c5.-A
sum Of 100000 for development In VIZ
rinia will be made available by the
State If the bill providing for corpora
ton Of the State with the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission in
Its plan for regional development of the
National Capital and its envlronS. Of
Tered in the General Assembly Wednes-
day by State Senator Frank l.. Ball, be-
comes law.
The bill places several restrictions on
expenditures. No part of the sum is TO
60 for an improvement unless an equal
sum is paid by the political subdivision
or subdivisions where the improvement
Is to be located. This applies to lncor-
porated cities and towns as well as
counties. 1t also provides that none OF
the funds shall be diSburSed unless the
Government of the United States shall
have expended or shall have author
tied expenditure for public improvements
in said metropolitan area Of sums at
least equal to the sums to be expended
by the State of Virginia and its political
subdivisions within said metropolitan
area"
For New Projects.
In determining the sums expended by
the Federal Government, the bill pro-
videS. only projects not already author
lied shall be considered. This. the bill
cites. eliminates from consideration eN-
penditure on the proposed Mount YER
non boulevard.
The boards of supervisors and the
councils Of cities and towns lying wholly
or partly in the metropolitan area would
be empowered, under the act. to lay Spe-
cial tax levies. borrow or float special
bond issues TO meet their share OF the
expenditures.
Funds raised by local taxation, the
bill provides shall be expended as far as
practicable In the magisterial districts
from which they are derived. Money
spent for engineering and planning
work, it sets forth. shall be construed
to be Of equal benefit to the whole
metropolitan area. land the local con-
tributions thereto shall be in proportion
to the taxable values upon real estate
within the several political subdivisions,
or parts thereof. embraced within the
metropolitan area
For Development Plan.
The money, under a provision of the
act, could be used TO meet the expenses
Of formulating complete plan OF de-
velopment of the metropolitan area, in
cluding the employment Of engineering
aid. and purchase and development Of
public parks and Fairgrounds. Any
lands or other public property acquired
by the State, political subdivision or
agency. for park, playground or other
public purposes shall be exempt from
taxation, the bill provides.
The bill changes the name of the
commission appointed by the governor
under an act Of the last regular ses-
sion Of the General Assembly. It has
been known as the Virginia Park and
Planning Commission. With passage of
the present bill it will be known as the
Virginia National Capital Planning
Commission.
The commission under the new act
would be empowered to reach an agree
ment with the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission as to what
territory in the State should be en-
braced in the metropolitan area. When
this is done the commission must report |
TO the governor Of the State. and upon |
approval by him. 1.-The territory SO desig- |
mated shall become the metropolitan |
area Of this act"
Two Bills Defe1teGs
Two bills providing for the enlarge i:
ment Of the State Highway Commits
sion were defeated in the House One
was the proposition of William A.
Wright Of Essex TO add three members
70 the commission, making ii consist
OF eight instead of five. Delegate Tuck
tried to get his bin passed providing for
the addition of one member TO the COM
~-.4r /, 80 /,
OF the Legislature has been consumed |
in the consideration Of matters affect |
ing roads, the distribution of the gas |
tax and similar measures dealing with |
highways. The suggestion Of repeating |
the existing laws and to convert all |
the gas-tax revenue TO the highway |
fund. thereby providing for 5000 miles |
OF roads each year. on basis not yet |
determined. is meeting with increasing |
favor as the members discuss the con-
tinual agitation of the matter of roads
and the needs Of the counties for funds.
Lee Statue Bill Pending.
A bill to appropriate $4,000 for
erecting an equestrian monument to
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee is pending. This
Is the bill which has the backing Of the
Spanish War Veterans of the United
States and for which they have been
planning for several years. The pro-
meters say that there is money await
ing the initiation OF the project on be-
half Of the State and that there is
ready for payment the sum of 5000
by man in New York for this pur- I
pose. The site for the monument has
been chosen. the gift Of the city.
The Senate finance committee yes
terday listened TO appeals by persons
looking TO a reduction OF the income
tax Of the State 10 the same figures
provided by the Federal Government
81 500 by single persons and $4,000 |
by men with families. The bill has
many supporters. The State tax COM
missioner, w. II. Morrissette, opposed |
the reduction, saying that tax reduc-
lions had been made In many other |
instances and that TO make this |
change would reduce the States income |
by not Less than $500 600, which the |
State In not in a position 10 stand at |
this time in view Of the many reduc- |
tiofis already suggested. No decision |
was reached by the committee, and |
II lis expected that the matter viii be-
further debated before vote Is taken.
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Scarcity and high price Of oysters
have turned most u the little London
oyster sslJug where Elneuaians gath