Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20
GAS TAX REVENUE
FIGHT IS OPENED
Arlington Chamber of Com
merce Acts to Prevent Loss
of Funds for Roads.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP.
Stan Correspondent of The Star.


CLARENDON. Va. September 2O.-
Faced with the possible loss of approx.
mately $4,000 of road building revenue
through the efforts of representatives
of rural districts to have the system OF
distribution of the gasoline tax changed,
the board of directors of the Arlington
County Chamber of Commerce last
Delegate Hugh Reid and addressed q
letter to the Board of County Super
visors asking that they take immediate
steps to forstall the loss.
Reid, who is chairman of the COM
mittee on legislation OF the trade BODY,
addressed the board at some length on
the proposal to change the gasoline tax
law to this extent.
81 Prevented Acts Passage.
BY only a narrow margin did he and
delegates from various cities and small
counties prevent the passage of such an
act at the last session Of the General
Assembly, he said, which would have re.
duced Arlington County's share OF the
gasoline tax revenue from $4,000 to
$4,000 annually.
Under the present law, Reid explain
ed, Arlington County's share OF the gas.
cline tax Is based upon the amount OF
annual taxes paid to the State by the
county. Under the proposed legislation
the tax would be distributed according
to area which, since Arlington Is the
smallest county in the State, would
give her the smallest amount OF the
tax.
Despite the fact that the law was
retained in its original state at the
last General Assembly, plans are under
way to make a change at the next ses-
sion, which takes place In January.
Reid declared To this end, Reid and
state Senator Frank L. Ball rushed to
Richmond last Tuesday when they
learned that the special committee APP
pointed to draft a new law was meet
ing there. They returned firmly con-
WINGED that new law will be passed
unless drastic measures are taken 10
prevent.
It is with these funds that the county
builds most of its new roads, Relo
claims, a greater portion of the otner
road revenue being needed IN the up
keep Of existing highways.
Board Has Not Acted.
Reid said that he was advised that
the Board of County Supervisors has
never taken any steps to prevent the
loss of this revenue. so his committee
was instructed to follow the letter with
an effort to hold special meeting with
the county governing body to make
plans to retain all of this money.
At last nights meeting the board
of directors Of the chamber decided
upon october is as the date for their
quarterly membership meeting and
banquet Under the tentative plans
this dinner will be held in the Wash
ington-Lee High School and will be for
members and their wives. Full details
will be announced later by P. p. Wood
bridge, executive secretary.
Henry C. Morris, chairman OF the
5-year-program committee announced
that he has been advised by the Viz
ginia Polytechnic Institute that an IN"
dustrial survey of the county can be
made between October and October
Is. He was instructed to proceed with
the arrangements.
Five new members were admitted
last night. They were: c. J. Ives. NOR
tician: B. j. Benton. real estate: Ar
lington Tile and Marble Co.; William
Clever, plumber, and the Arlington
Times.