Evening star., 1944-01-28
Sales Tax Urged
1oCut Virginia
Realty Levies
Assembly Proposal
Would Defer Vote
Until Next Session
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Jan. 28.-Delezata
John Spiers Of Radford today intro
duced joint resolution for a study
OF the Advisory Legislative Council
OF general sales tax as a means Of
raising additional revenue and for
relief of the burden Of local taxation
on real estate.
One effect would be deferment un-
til the next session of a vote on a
sales tax or a. refers2dum to the
people on the issue.
Pending before the Assembly is a
bill by Senator Y. Melvin Hodges for
an immediate per cent sales tax.
and proposal by Gov. Darden for
a referendum to. the people on the
issue OF sales tax effective in post
war years.
Would Ease HomeOwners' Burden.
Under the Spiers resolution. the
study would include "a method for
distribution of the proceeds from
such tax as between the Common
wealth and the localities, and for
the application of the share of the
localities from such tax, or the major
part thereof to reduction of the ex-
lstlng tax nreal estate, and espe-
cially as to the property of small
homeowners."
The council would be instructed to
report its recommendation to the
Governor and the Assembly go days
before the next regular session.
The possibility of an immediate
inquiry into operations of the States
new personnel act was seen, mean.
while, in a proposal to amend the
Clarke Senate joint resolution so as
to provide for study at this session
rather than between sessions.
Wouldn't Kill Merit System,
Senator Andrew w. Clarke Of
Alexandria said he understood such
an amendment would be offered to
his Senate joint resolution intro
duced yesterday to provide for
commission to make the study and
report so days before the 1916 ses.
sion.
The Clarke resolution was referred
to the Senate Finance COMMITTEES
which was expected to meet today.
The resolution calls for a commits
sion of three members from the
House, two from the Senate, and
two from the committee of the Ad-
vlsory Legislative Council which
made the study preliminary to set
tlng up the system at the 1942 ses.
sion.
Mr.. Clarke said he was mot in
favor OF junking the system" but
that he felt too much power is
vested in the administrator, j. H.
Bradford, director of the budget.
Opposes Road Fund Diversion.
The Senate yesterday adopted
unanimously and sent to the House
lor concurrence resolution to put
the General Assembly on record
against diversion of State highway
funds.
The resolution provides that it is
the sense Of the General Assembly"
that all funds received from gasoline
taxes and motor vehicles reeistra-
ton shall be used solely and ex-
clusiyely' for highway construction
and maintenance after certain ex-
penses and obligations are taken
care OF. The resolution is similar
to one adopted by the 1912 Gen.
eral Assembly.
The Senate also passed tha
Daughton resolution carrying fur
ther the move started at the last
session to make constitutional
change to freeze the Literary Fund
at $4,000 900 and to use funds in
excess of that amount for teacher
retirement and general school pur-
poses. The resolution now goes to
the House for consideration.
The Senate, meeting briefly.
passed one bill, the Hillard Senate
measure to authorize the State
Highway Commissioner to ACQUIRE
land adjacent to or near land needed
Tor any highway project and to
convey such land to public utilities
IN lieu of other land owned by them
and needed by the department.
Liquor-Profit Changes Backed.
A House bill providing for a larger
share for localities in liquor profits
was approved, IA to 2, by the House
Finance Committee.
The measure. introduced by Dele.
gates Daughtrey. Quesenbery, Hutch
ems. Fitzpatrick and Whitehead, calls
for division of the profits on the
basis of two thirds to the localities
and one third to the State after op-
Grating expenses, not to exceed ST..
OO0,0 900, are deducted.
Under the present system. the
State receives the first S2,50O 900 and
the remainder is divided one third
to the localities and two thirds to
the State.
1t was estimated that the change
would divert about 81, ,666, 900 in rev.
enues from the States general fund
to the localities.
A bill to have the State take over
the title, operation and maintenance
of all county and town schools was
killed by a unanimous vote Of the
House Schools and Colleges Commit.
tee.
DR.. J. W. Witten, Tazewell, ap-
peared in behalf of his bill and told
the committee I'VE will never have
the schools we need until the State
takes them over and enforces the
compulsory school laws"
Gifts 10 Paralysis Fund