Evening star., 1946-02-15
Arlington Board
Election Change
Bill Introduced
Referendum Provided
On Plan to Return to
Simultaneous Terms
By Alex R. Preston
sfer Staf cerresrondsnf

n -
sfor st1if Correspondent
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. I5.-A ref
erendum on the election of Arling-
ton County Board members for
simuf faneous four-year terms, re-
placing the present staggered terms
of office. is provided in a bill now
before the General Assembly. The
referendum would be called on petit
tiois of 200 qualified voters IL the
petition is made on or before August
of this year.
Delegates j. Maynard Magruder
and George Damn, Arlington, in
troduced the measure yesterday at
the request of the Arlington Civic
Federation and number of other
county civic groups. The present
staggered system was inaugurated
several years ago at the request of
the Civic Federation, but the sys-
tenn has been criticized on the
ground that it serves to perpetuate
the majority party in power.
Since board members already have
been elected on staggered terms the
bill sets up a formula for a return
to the simultaneous method over a
period OF years and the earliest that
all menberS could be elected to serve
colncident terms would be 1850.
Referendum in November.
II the proper petition is prepared,
Circuit Judge Walter T. Mccarthy
would be required to order a refer
endum to be held at the November
general election. The legislation
provides that if the referendum is
approved, the two who are elected
for terms beginning in 1947 will
serve for three years instead of
four; the candidate elected for 1948
would serve two years and the can
didate for 1949 one year. There
after all five candidates would come
up for election for terms beginning
January l, 1850.
The legislation presupposes that
Arlington would remain a county
and not be incorporated as city as
is set up in another bill, also in
troduced yesterday by the Arling-
tonians.
Delegate Frank P. Moncure, Prince
William and Stafford, said he will
introduce a House joint resolution
today to declare it the sense of the
General Assembly that the positions
of budget director and State per-
sonnel director should not be held
by the same individual. J. H. Brad
ford now holds both offices, and Gov.
Tuck has not yet reappointed him.
Senator Andrew w. Clarke, Alex
andria, Fairfax and Prince William,
already has introduced bill, now in
committee, which would prohibit
one man from filling both offices
simultaneously.
Asks Personnel Law Study.
Yesterday Senator Clarke intro
duced a1joint resolution to create a1
commission to make an interim
study of the law on which the Vir-
ginia Personnel Act is based and to
report go days in advance of the
next session on its operation and to
outline any necessary changes. The
commission would consist of two
Senators, three members of the
House and two members appointed
by the Governor to be selected from
members of the Virginia Advisory
Legislative Council, which previous
ly made a preliminary study of
the act. t
Another joint resolution, intro
duced by Senators j. II. Blanton,
Bowling Green, and Robert o. Nor
ris, jr., Lancaster, directs the Leg
islative Council to study the advis-
ability of extending the State re-
tirement system to county and city
treasurers, commissioners of reve-
hue, commemorative attorneys,
court clerks, sheriffs, city sergeants
and their deputies and employees.
Senator Clarke already has
amended his bill to establish a pen
sion and retirement system for Alex
andria employees SO as to include the
State officials embraced in the pro-
posed Blanton- Norris resolution, and
has included employees of the Alex
andria Health Department.
The House Committee on Coun-
ties, Cities and Towns favorably re-
ported the Damm-Magruder COM
panion bills to establish pension,
retirement and death benefit system
for Arlington police and f1remen.
License Bill Reported.
Also reported by the same group
was bill by w. Selden Washington,
Alexandria; Edwin w. Lynch, Fair
fax, and Mr.. Damn and Mr.. Ma
gruder permitting local governing
bodies of cities and counties to re-
quire $1,000 bond of. statesmen and
$500 from brokers dealing in real
estate.
Senator Clarke sponsored another
measure designed to clear the title
to the Charles Kicherer tract COM
prising 26.2 acres at Hunting Greek.
The land is to be acquired by Alex
andria.
Delegate E. Blackburn Moore,
Winchester and Clarke, was the au-
thor of a measure which would con-
tinue SO miles per hour as the day
time speed limit, but would set As
miles per hour as the maximum
speed at night for private vehicles.
Other nighttime speeds between the
hours of one-half hour after sunset
to one-half hour before dawn would
be IS miles per hour for school
buses, 40 miles per hour for trucks
and As miles per hour for COM
mercial buses.
Charter Committee Named