Evening star., 1946-02-24
Road TaxDebate
Set Tomorrow
ByAssemb|y
Bill Would Boost y
Levy on Gasoline,
Cut Auto Licenses
By Alex R. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondent


Stor Stoff Correspondent
RICHMOND, VA, Feb. 23.-When
the General Assembly reconvenes
Monday the House of Delegates will
take up one of the most controver-
sial pieces of legislation that has
come before the Legislature this
session-Gov. Tucks proposed re-
visions of the road tax structure.
With barely quorum present
today, the House set the Governors
road program for special and con-
tinuing order of business Monday
on motion of the bills chief patron
Delegate E. Blackburn Moore, Win
chester and Clarke
The House today advanced a
number of controversial mea-
suret before the attendance of 81
dwindled to so, out of the total of
the 100 members. Only % Senators
out of 40 were in attendance. Today
was the first Saturday session since
the Legislature convened.
Many bills advanced were of sig
niflcance to Northern Virginia, but
both houses agreed to pass over
consideration of those measures to
which opposition was raised until
absent members had returned.
Provides Gas Tax Increase.
As it now stands, the road tax
revisions would provide for a 1-cent
-a-gallon increase in the taxes, re-
peal OF the two per cent gross re-
cepits tax on common and contract
truckers but not for buses, a 20 per
cent reduction In private automobile
license fees and graduated increase
in license charges for common and
contract truckers. The measure
came out of the Appropriations Com
mittee by vote of 10 to and ties
in with another piece of legislation,
already passed by the house after
heated debate, to increase from 40
600 to $4,000 the pounds the maxi
mum weight allowed truckers. pro-
yiding they add a fourth axle.
Opponents charge the general pub
lie will suffer most from the pro-
gram, estimated to yield an addi-
tional s3,500,000 annually. The Vir-
ginia Petroleum Industries today
announced preliminary results of a
poll on the gas tax increase follow
ing distribution Of cards to service
stations throughout the State, who
in turn distributed the ballots to
motorists.
after rejecting out-of- State mo-
torists' returns, the Industries Com
mittee said 5,922 were against the
increase, lis were in favor and 81
said they did not care.
Northern Virginia dealers will
fight the plan because it will still
further increase the price differ
ential between District of Columbia
and Virginia gasoline prices. This
difference now is absorbed by deal
ers and distributors to varying de-
grees within the areas near Wash
ington SO as to meet competition
from the latter city.
Await Gilmer Report.
Only one forseeable contingency
could postpone consideration of the
tax program until Tuesday. A state
ment from Controller Henry S. Gill
mer showing highway revenues and
expenditures during the last three
and half years was presented yes
terday and copies were ordered
rushed so the data would be avail
able to all members Monday. Speak
er Thomas B. Stanley said the bill
would be continued if the copies
we're not available to all members
Those in more rural areas also
will follow the progress of the legis-
lation with interest since the FL
nance Committee attached an
amendment earmarking a minimum
of $12,500,000 annually to be used
exclusively for secondary roads.
Funds available to the Highway
Department over the three-and-a-
half-year period ending December
81, 1945, amounted to $101, ,241 1854,
the controller reported. Within this
period $74,1l1 900 was spent on con-
struction and maintenance and
$13,000,000 was transferred to the
convict force, State Police and Di-
vision of Motor Vehicles for total
expenditures of $87 7,272,735.
At the end of the period there
was a cash balance of $13,969, ,228,
an increase of approximately S.
100000.
Revenues were listed as $2,637 900
from the gross receipts tax; ST.
$4,000 from gasoline taxes; $23,-
228,000 from license fees and $4,-
COS 900 from Federal grants.
Airport Bill Reported.
Meanwhile, the House Committee
on Counties, Cities and Towns re-
ported one of four companion bills
by Delegates Willis E. Cohoon, Suf-
folk, and Mr.. Moore, authorizing
localities to acquire land for air.
ports and to accept Federal aid in
their construction.
delegate j. Maynard Magruder,
Arlington, said he would be unable
to vote for the bill since other COM
pAnion bills are dependent on a pro-
posed g. cents per gallon tax on
AVIATION fuel consumed by COM
AAtSAS Wal SoA1ACI III OpCl dbitul OfcI
this State regardless of where the
fuel is purchased or whether Vir-
ginia's airports are used.
lMr. Magruder said Virginia would
be acting in bad faith with the Fed
eial Government if an aviation fuel
tax is imposed now.
THE measures were recommended
by the Virginia Advisory Legislative
Cpuncil of which former Delegate
Charles r. Fenwick, Arlington, was
a member. Mr.. Fenwick filed an
exception to the report saying an
amendment excepting the National
Airport might be necessary. In
Richmond today on other legisla-
tive matters, Mr.. Fenwick said there
Isl no question of bad bargain"
being involved in the boundary bill
since the land recently declared to
be Virginia soil was clearly dredged
out of the Potomac and was within
the District Therefore, the conten-
tipn that Virginia had given up
its rights could not be upheld, he
said.
The House Privileges and Elec-
ffoy,c m L:,I-