Evening star., 1944-02-08
Virginia Senate Votes
Guarantee Schools
Against State Aid Loss
Moses Bill Peeeine
Teacher Units at '42-'43
Level Is Approved
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
RICHMOND, Feb. 8.-The Senate
acted yesterday to safeguard local.
tiles against losses in State school
aid because of decreasing school
attendance as both branches of the
Virginia General Assembly passed
II bills and advanced others during
comparatively quiet sessions.
The Senate referred to its Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections
a resolution calling for a referen-
dunn on the question of payment
Of a poll tax as a prerequisite to
voting.
The resolution, offered by SEN
ator Ted Dalton, Republican, of
Radford, provides that the General
Assembly propose the elimination
OF the poll tax requirement from
the constitution and that action be
taken 10 have the question sub
mitted to the people for decision
at the earliest possible time"
School Bill Passes, 1873.
The SeEate passed, 33 to 3, the
Moses bill to maintain as the min
imum the l942-43 level in teacher
units curing the war.
The chief patron, Senator Charles
T. Moses, Appomattox, said the cost
to the State would be approximately
$500 900 for the biennium if the 5000
State aid per teacher unit proposed
in the budget bill Is adopted.
SiYtV -fu,n rp,lntioc ond ,ifin~
he said, are faced with a proc
pective loss of 263 units due to fall
ing of in daily average attendance.
The effect of the bill would be to
restore these units, forming the
basis for State aid distribution to
the localities, and prevent decrease
in contributions from the State.
The measure would be in effect
for the duration or until July !,
1916, whichever comes first.
Salary Information Awaited.
A Senate Finance Subcommittee
studying what some legislators have
termed starvation" wages received
by State employees, awaited informa-
tion from Budget Director J. H.
Bradford before making recon-
mendations for salary adjustments
among the lowest paid workers.
Senator Robert C. Vaden, Gretna,
said figures asked of Mr. Bradford
include costs to the State of a
per cent blanket salary increase to
all State employees receiving less
than $4,000 a year.
The budget director estimated that
II 900 persons draw cash salaries
of less than $4,000 and that the
total annual payment to these
workers is approximately s13 900 900.
He emphasized that this figure is
the cash pay alone. and that "a
great many" get perquisites of food
and lodging in addition.
On the basis of these figures the
proposed per cent increase would
cost the State approximately $780,
600 a year.
Hearing on Annexation Laws.
The House Privileges and Elec-
tions Committee also called a hear
ing for this afternoon on annexa-
tion bills introduced in the House.
These include the Massenburg bill
providing for an election on annex
alton proposals by residents of the
area proposed for annexation, and
the McCandlish measure providing
for an election both in the city
proposing annexation and in the
area involved.
This committee yesterday after
noon killed the McCandlish bill to
give election judges authority to
appoint additional election officials
in heavy voting precincts.
The McCandlish bill to require
newcomers to the State to file a
declaration .of intention of becom-
ing citizens in order to vote was
referred to House privileges and
elections subcommittee.
The constitution now requires a
year Of residence before a new
conner is eligible to vote. The Nc
Candlish bill would not affect this
years election, but would require
that after January l. 1945, a new
resident could not vote until one
year after filing a declaration of
intention