The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-23
BILL TO EXPEDITE
ROADS IS PASSED
Projects, at Bragg, Davis
Would Be Let Without
Asking Bids

RALEIGH, Jan. 22.-R-T h e
General Assembly today started
work on two specific recommends
tons of Governor Broughton-a re-
tirement plan for state employees,
including teachers, and provision
for a tubercular hospital in East
ern North Carolina-while commit
tees considered the sales tax and
a means of coordinating agricul-
tural agencies.
Identical bills were sent forward
in the house and senate to provide
the retirement plan based on re-
Communications of a special com.
mission. Employees would pay four
per cent of their salaries to the
retirement fund, and the state
would make direct appropriations
to grant pensions which would
match annuities to be bought with
the employees contributions.
Seven senators introduced a bill
to provide for a 5000, 600 state bond
issue for an Eastern North Caro-
lima tubercular sanatorium. A site
was bought near Wilson two years
ago when it was hoped that fed
eral funds could be secured to fl
nance the institution.
At its first of a series of public
hearings, the joint finance commit
tee heard appeals for tax exemp-
ticns and reductions from dry
cleaners, merchants, brokers, au-
tomobile dealers. local government
officials and fair tax association
representatives.
j. Paul Leonard of Statesville,
leader of the fair tax association,
asked the abolition of the three per
cent sales tax. He said a survey,
listing 500 replies from IS counties,
showed 80 per cent of the mer-
chants favored absolute repeal of
the levy, 10 per cent for uniform
reduction, 10 per cent for the
exemption of all foods.
Practically all merchants, he adj
ded, preferred a flat" or uni
form" tax, as opposed to a revised
levy with exemptions for certain
items.
o. M. Powers, independent
Greensboro wholesale broker, also
spoke against the sales tax, assert
ing that the levy had created a
serious situation among sales
agencies.
Representatives of local govern
mental units asked that all the re-
turns from the tax on intangibles
be- returned to the counties and
cities, rather than go per cent as
now practiced.
Appropriations Asked
The joint appropriations commit
tee, meanwhile. heard that a $751;
800 appropriation for the N. c.
State college experiment station
and seed improvement work from
the general fund next biennium
would remedy go per cent of the
friction between that agency and
the State Department of Agricul-
ture. The money now comes from
the departments agriculture fund.
The witness was Agriculture
Commissioner w. Kerr Scott, who
said, $50 far as 1 am able to OBJ
serve, there is no friction at pre-
sent. The basis of friction arises
out of both institutions trying to
live out of the same fund"
He added that general fund fl
nancing of the experiment station
and seed improvement work had
the endorsement of State college
officials and of Govrnor Brough-
ton.
Beetle Control Fund
The Agriculture department also
requested increase appropriations
from the general. fund for Japa-
nese beetle control, drug and cos
metic inspection, the weights and
measures division. supervision OF
credit unions and erection of a
livestock coliseum at the State
fair. These requests total $447, 1886.
The N. C. State college extension
service and experiment station will
present their needs next Tuesday
night.
The commission for the blind to-
day asked the committee to in
crease its biennial funds from
S271, 9O2 to $3.50, 290.
The senate gave final approval
to a measure to permit the high
way and public works commission
to waive competitive letting of con-
tracts for roads necessary to the
National Defense program. In the
house, the bill went to the road
committee, which voted its ap-
prevail.