Evening star., 1946-03-07
Virginia ii Senate
"Opens Budget
Debate Today
Seeks to End Work
Before ChurchiII's
Speech Tomorrow
BY Alex r. Preston
Stor Stoff Corresnondsnt

: By Alex R. Preston
sior StoF Correspondent
RICHMOND, Va, Mar. THE
General Assembly today prepared to
dispose of the sessions last piece
Y Of major legislation when the Senate
begins deliberat tions on the S319,O00,-
900 budget bill.
Decks were cleared as rapidly as
possible in both houses, preparatory
to joint session tomorrow morning
when Winston Churchill will speak
before the Oldest legislative body in
the Western Hemisphere Legislators
do not expect to accomplish much
work tomorrow, owing to the
Churchill visit.
Two of the most controversial
issues to face the 1916 session-the
Governors omnibus road tax pro-
gram and the Moncure Locher
blacklist" bill for public employees
who strike-were approved by the
Senate yesterday. They now 60
back to the House of Delegates,
where concurrence in Senate amend
4elltS Is anticipated.
Most Committees Clear.
The Senate Finance Committee
met last night to whip the appro-
priation bill into shape for Senate
consideration and possibly final ac-
ton today. This was the last reg
ularly scheduled meeting of the
committee. Most other House and
Senate committees have entirely
cleared their dockets of all pend
Ing measures and are ready for
adjournment Saturday.
A large gallery of spectators was
taken by surprise when the anti
strike legislation was passed, 1e to
IA, after no debate. 1t had gen.
Grated abundant argument in the
House of Delegates before passage
there and before committees of
both branches during public hear
ings.
Introduced by Delegates Frank
P. Moncure, Prince William and
Stafford, and B. G.. Locher, Rock
bridge, the bill was originally
drafted to ban permanently the
rehiring of any public employe
who strikes against the government
OF the State, city or county or any
OF their agencies. The House COM
mittee reported a substitute bill to
place the ban at five years. The
Senate General Laws Committee
subsequently reduced the ban to
IL months. 1t is this amendment
to which the House today will be
asked to agree.
Road Tax Debated.
BY contrast, however, discussion
OF the Governors road tax revisions
making four major changes in the
highway revenue structure, required
the entire afternoon, after admin
istration forces successfully fought
OF large number of amendments
to alter the bill. > 50 r.
Senators William D. Medley, Arl-I
hgton, and Andrew w. Clarke,
Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince Will
liam, led the fight against a / cent
increase IN the gasoline tax and
were strong supporters of a move
ment to retain the existing gross re-
ceipts tax on common and contract
carriers of freight which the bill re-
peals. Other changes carried in the
bill are a 20 per cent reduction in
private automobile license tags and
an increase by $50 per cent in the
cost of licenses for common freight
carriers and by so per cent for con-
tract freight haulers.
Senator Medley offered an
amendment, defeated by voice vote,
which would have limited the ad-
ditional 1-cent per gallon tax to
the period ending July /, 1948, on
the theory that if the next two
years indicated the added revenue
could not be spent by the highway
department for road repairs, the
extra levy would automatically die
my experience has shown" he
explained, that once we impose a
tax it is nearly impossible to getI
1t removed from the statute books"
By a vote of 16 to 81, the Senate
also rejected an amendment byI
Senator Clarke, which would have
delayed imposition of the gas tax
until January l, 1947, instead of
80 days after adjournment of the
present session. He pointed out
private motorists would not get the
benefit of the 20 per cent license
reduction this year, but would have
to wait until the spring of next
year
Cites d. c. Differential.
Senators Clarke and Benjamin T.
Pitts, Fredericksburg earlier had in
troduced an amendment striking out
entirely that portion of the program
calling for an increase in the gas
tax from to 6 cents. Senator
Clarke cited the existing cents
differential between District of Co.
lumbia and Virginia taxes. This
difference, he said, now is absorbed
by the oil companies and the deal
ers. A tax increase, he said, would
force many dealers out of business.
Il think it is exceedingly un-
fortunate that the people of North
ern Virginia were not consulted be-
fore this plan was offered" Senator
Clarke said. II think it is a bad
thing for the Governor and the
General Assembly to try to cruelty
the people of my district"
The House continued to enjoy
its relatively light calendar. Prin-
cipal action was to approve Senate
amendments to series of bills and
a resolution to revise the suffrage
laws. If the 1948 Assembly passes
the resolution again, the voters will