Evening star., 1944-02-14
Weaver Outlines New
Teacher Pay Setup
For Virginia Towns
Funds to Be Passed
To Localities Under
Pending Legislation
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
RICHMOND, Feb 14.-As the
Virginia Senate prepared today to
begin consideration of the general
appropriation bill, Chairman Aubrey
G.. Weaver of the Senate Finance
Committee said the time has come
when the public should be acquaint-
ed with the facts" relative to treat
ment the public school system will
receive at the hands of Gov. Dar-
den and the 1914 General Assembly.
THE appropriation bill that has
passed the House and soon will be
presented to the Senate will carry
an increase for the Department Of
Education from the general fund
Amounting to over SO 900 900 for the
biennium," the Front Royal Senator
said.
The increase for teachers salaries
from the general fund amounts to
S. OIL 900, he said, adding that the
total amount appropriated for
teachers salaries for the coming
biennium is $24, $4,000, while the
total appropriation for the teacher
retirement fund amounts to $685.
2e5.
Division of Liquor Profits.
Under the plan for the distribu-
ton of ABC Qiquor) profits" he
continued, "the localities will re-
ceive practically 100000 in rev.
enue from the State which they
never received before, and the
counties will continue to receive the
$500, 900 from the State for school
bus transportation.
I'm other words, as the law stands
today the State receives the first
s2,5OO 900 of ABC profits out OF
which S500,000 is paid to the locali-
ties for school bus transportation,
Hereafter the State will receive
only S750,000 of the first profits and
out of this sum will continue to pay
. 100000 to the localities for school
bus transportation. After deduct
ing this S75O00O from the first ST.
: 100000 the localities will receive
two thirds of all profits in excess OF
5 s2.5GO,O00.
There is now pending legisla-
ton that is assured of passage that
will increase the revenue from wine
to an amount in excess of $780,
900, of which 100000 will be paid
to the localities.
Localities Can Increase Pay.
With this gain of S2,O0O,O00 or
more per year the localities can in
crease by s125 per teacher unit the
salaries of teachers and after such an
increase will still be S500,0OO to the
good. AS the appropriation bill now
STANDS, if the localities see fit to
2 take this action, the total increase
! will be to ST, ,025 per teacher unit,
which is an increase of s305 per
teacher unit over the three point
!, program figure of just a few years
i ago"
il In addition, he said, under the
r Coburn bill, which has the hearty
II approval of Gov. Darden, if there i,
e a surplus at the end of the comins
n biennium, this surplus will be di,
d vided equally between the State or
O the one hand and the counties, cite:
and towns on the other. Again this
q brings the localities into the picture
in connection with still further in.
creases for teacher salaries"
Gov. Darden's advocacy of increas.
4 ing local funds and placing a sub.
( stantial part of the responsibility
@ with local governments will brins
: the school problems closer to vari.
GUS localities and is a long stride
in behalf of local self-government,
:, he continued.
= :. The Finance Committee ha.
:, - agreed to public hearing Wednes.
!, day night at the request of the
:, ;, Virginia Education Association, or.
Il ganization of teachers, which il
backing plan for ST 200 per teacher
;, unit from State funds advocated BY
:, = the State Department of Educa.
y ton. Gov. Darden recommended
:, = a State appropriation of s84O pei
:. teacher unit for the first year Of
Il the biennium and $500 the seconc
year.
The House made the amount 500
= per teacher unit for both years, the
. total being the same as the Gov.
ernOr'S recommendation.