Evening star., 1942-01-29
Fenwick Drafts
Motor Carrier
Tax Measure
Arlington Would Gain
Revenue Under
Terms of Bill
By ALEXANDER r. PRESTON,
Star Staff Correspondent.


sembly, Delegate Charles r. Fen
wick of Arlington said today.
The measure is one of the bills
recommended by the Motor Vehicle
Tax Study Commission named at
the 1910 Assembly session and head
ed by Mr.. Fenwick.
Under terms of the bill now be-
ing drafted, the rolling stock OF
motor carriers would be assessed by
commissioners of revenue of local
tiles in which the vehicles are
Saraged.
The present method OF taxing
motor carrier equipment by the
State Corporation Commission re-
suits in collection difficulties. the
Arlington legislator explained. The
commission now is required to dis
burse the amounts so collected on a
pro-rata basis to counties through
which the motor carriers operate.
Increases Arlington Revenue.
One immediate effect OF the pro-
posed method of assessment would
be to increase revenue in Arlington,
where two large motor carrier firms
are maintained. The Arlington
Fairfax Motor Transportation co.
and the Washington Virginia Mary
land Coach Co. garage their vehicles
in Arlington. Commissioner OF Rev.
enue Harry K. Green would be able
to assess all Of the rolling stock OF
these two firms on personal prop
erty tax basis, under terms OF the
bill.
Delegate Maurice D. Rosenberg OF
Alexandria, again introduced bill
to abolish the State Milk Commits
sion. Similar attempts to have the
act under which the commission
operates, repealed were made by Mr..
Rosenberg at the last two sessions
of the Assembly Mr.. Rosenberg was
Joined in sponsoring his latest bill
by Delegate w. Mel. Ferguson OF
Newport News.
Mr.. Rosenberg said he believes the
milk commission restricts whole
some competition and destroys initi-
ative."
Feels 1t Goes Too Far.
"It's all right" he said, "to have
q commission to carry out health
and safety measures and to set
standards. But when they go so far
as to tell a man where he must
sell his milk, to whom he must sell
1t. and what price he shall get-well,
that's going too far"
He said he did not have any
quarrel with the commission itself,
but was opposed to the theory be-
hind it.
"I do not believe that milk is
commodity that is of the character
of a public utility. Hence, it should
not be controlled by commission.
"You might as well extend COM
mission control to such things as
bread and clothing-theyre also i'm
portant essentials. I think milk
should be sold as cheaply as 1t Is
possible to sell it. I don't like the
idea of a commission saying that
every one should sell at one price
the natural law of supply and
demand should regulate this price
structure"
Seek Hearing Date.
Meanwhile, the Senate Privileges
and Elections Committee sought an
early date for a joint hearing with
a similar House committee on bills
to reapportion the State Senate and
House districts according to recon-
mendations of the Fuller Reappor-
tionment Commission.
Under the proposals, Arlington
County would have its representa-
ton increased from one to two
members in the House, and would
be given a Senator of its own. The
Fuller commission recommendatio
already are being opposed, however,
by assemblymen from the rural areas
who stand to lose representation.
Gov. Darden has listed reappor-
tionment as part of his legislative
recommendation for the current
session.
Senator's E. R. Fuller of Richmond,
patron of the BILL Aubrey G..
Weaver of Front Royal and R. R.
Parker of Wise we're named to confer
with the House committee to set q
hearing date.
Wine Bill Presented.
Mr.. Fenwick joined Delegate E.
Blackburn Moore of Berryville and
others in sponsoring bill intro
duced yesterday to restrict the sale
of wines with an alcoholic content
of more than IA per cent by volume
to State liquor stores. Another
measure already is pending in COM
mittee to restrict fortified wines to
State dispensaries, but the new bill
establishes the term fortified" at a
specific figure.
Among the new bills introduced
In the Senate yesterday was one
recommended by the highway de-
partment which would authorize
the State Highway Commission to
construct limited access roads for
through traffic. A feature of this
bill is provision for a proposed
super highway" running through
Arlington County to Occoquan
Creek.
This road is included in the thor
oughfare network plan around the
new War Department Building, but
its cost must be borne by the State.
The proposed dual-lane traffic
artery would serve as an alternate
high-Speed route for United States
Route l and would bypass traffic
around Alexandria. 1t would tie
into the War Department network
at the Army-Navy boulevard, on