Evening star., 1946-02-01
Road Fund Bills
Would Benefit
Arlington asCitl
County Would Get
Cut if incorporated
Under Present Law.
BY ALEX r. PRESTON,
Star staff Correspondent.


RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 1.-Arling.
ton would receive more State high.
way funds as an incorporated cit,
than it now receives as q county
If legislation now pending passes
the General Assembly.
If 1t incorporates under present
State laws, however, Arlington woulc
be obligated to take over construc.
tion and maintenance of 33.2 mile.
of primary roads now completely
financed by the State.
BY the road-fund repatemen'
plan under which it operates, Ar.
lington received $I07, ,755.4o of State
highway funds in the fiscal veal
ended June 80, 1945. Enactment
of one bill already well on its wa,
through the Assembly, however
would entitle Arlington as a city
to receive about $4,000 annually
Another proposed measure woule
bring the proposed city approx.
mately s166.ooo each year.
Present Law Cuts Fund.
Under existing law the county
would receive only $83 900 annually
If it becomes a city.
These figures came to light ir
connection with q bill by Senator
M. M. Hillard, Portsmouth, to in
crease from $2,500 to $4,000 the an.
nual amount for each mile of State
roads through towns and cities oi
$500 inhabitants or more.
The Hi1lard bill, approved by the
Senate Committee on Roads and
Internal Navigation, appears on the
Senate calendar for its second read
ing today. Removed from existing
law, however, would be provision
for an additional $500 payment tc
the city for each mile of State road
way to be constructed or recon-
structed.
The second bill, sponsored by
Senators E. Glenn Jordan and c. w
Crowder, both of Richmond, would
increase the States per-mile con-
struction and maintenance contri-
button to the cities from $4,000 to
$4,000 a year, and would allow the
highway commissioner to allocate
an additional $500 per mile for con-
struction and reconstruction prof.
ects if he deems it necessary. OF the
S. 900 contribution, one-third would
be used for maintenance and two
thirds for construction.
Only Three Counties Exempt.
At present, Arlington, Henrico
and Warwick are the only counties
of the States 100 operating outside
the so-called Byrd plan" of high
way maintenance. All State roads
In other counties are maintained by
the State Highway Department.
At the time of passage of the Byrd
Act in 1882, Arlington agreed to re-
main out Of the plan and has re-
ceived its road funds based on a
formula involving area, poptnation,
mileage of State roads and total
taxes collected.
A check with the State Highway
Commission indicates Arlington has
total of 288.69 miles of roads, of
which 1872 are in the State primary
system.
James A. Anderson, highway COM
missioner, was asked if the 1872 miles
of primary roads would continue to
be considered as State thorough
fares for the basis of computing
refunds If Arlington incorporates.
Reasonable Assumption.
"I, of course, cannot say for sure
he stated, "but that certainly is a
reasonable assumption and I can
see no reason why it should change
Up for final passage In the Senate
today is the bill by Senators William
D. Medley, Arlington, and Andrew
w. Clarke, Alexandria, to establish
a boundary line between the District
of Columbia and Virginia Bearing
the Governors recommendation, il
has advanced without opposition.
Delegate w. Selden Washington
Alexandria, yesterday introduced hi
first bill of the current session. Tn,
measure permits the Alexandra
Electoral Board to authorize main.
tanning the rolls of qualified voter
on serially numbered cards insteae
Of in poll books.
Mr.. Washington said he had beer
requested by his City Council tt
sponsor the law to meet the prob
lem of an unusual turnover of pop
ulation which results in permanent
poll books becoming cumbersom.
when voters leave the city. Undel
provisions of the law, however, tn,
records on hand could not be de.
stroyed.
Ask Apple Commission.
Two Northern Virginia appll
growers were included as patrons
on a bill to establish a State appl,
commission within the State De
partment of Agriculture to promot,
the sale and use of Virginia apples
The patrons include Delegates w
F. Young, Staunton, and E. Black
bur.a Moore, Winchester and Clarke
An excise tax of IL cents a bushe
wculd be applied on all packers
WAeAl FA1S al cb 4VU OQollClS CAClllpt
The exemption was provided, M,
Moore explained, to safeguar,
farmers and others who preserv
apples for their own use.
The commission would be com
posed of seven members represent
ing as nearly as possible each i'm
portant apple-producing section an,
would be appointed by the commits
sioner of agriculture and immigra
ton, who would be guided by tn
recommendations of the Board O
Directors of the Virginia Horticul
tural Society, who in turn woul,
have consulted with local growers
associations. Commission member
would serve staggered terms Of fou
years each.
The commission would promot
campaigns OF education, advertising
publicity, sales promotion and re
search to attain its objective. Tn
tax would begin on the 1916 GRO
and packers would be required to re
port to the commission before tn
close of each year, payable so pc
cent at that time and the baianc
prior to the following May 81. AID
ples hacked after December Al of