Evening star., 1947-12-19
Sales TaxUrged
For Improving
Virginia Schools
Moses Commission
Asks 20 Levy, Steps
To Attract Teachers
BY the Associated Press


Sweeping Improvements in Virginias
educational system-with a 2 per
cent sales tax plus increases in pres
ent levies to pay for them-have
been recommended, by the Moses
Commission. The body was created
by the General Assembly last jan
uary to study school needs.
The commissions report to Gov.
Tuck yesterday covered the field of
public education expenditures. bllt
1t laid emphasis on the greatest
single problem" that of providing
an adequate supply of competent
teachers"
1t presented three fold program
designed to attract and hold good
teachers, and in addition recon-
mended:
State ownership and operation of
school transportatio facilities,
An increase to $500 900 VIRTUALLY
double that of the current YEAR, of
the extra State help to poorer local
tiles.
Further improvements in voca-
tional education
Dissents From Proposals.
The report devoted considerable
argument in defense of its sales tax
and other revenue-raising sugges-
tons, and it emphasized that public
meetings had definitely shown that
the people of Virginia are willing to
pay for school improvements. One
member. however, dissented from
the revenue raising reccmmenda-
tlonS.
The dissenter was Watkins M. Alb
bitt of AppomattoX, who argued that
the school program should not be
/ tied to any particular tax, but should
be financed from the States general
fund. Otherwise if a recession oc-
CURED, the entire school program
would be jeopardiZed Immediately. If
the proposed tax plan failed of pas
sage, the program would be lost
also"
The report of the commission.
nevertheless, goes into considerable
detail on revenue-raising sugges-
tions, defining brackets for sales
taxes, income taxes, and other means
of raising money.
| Would Raise Salary Base.
The three-phase program to at
tract teachers dealt with higher SAL
aries, better retirement provisions,
and a system of sick leave with pay.
The State would provide minimum
base of $1,000 annually for salaries.
This amount would be supplemented
by the localities according to their
ability on minimum standards de-
fined and administered by the State
Board of Education.
The maximum retirement allow
ance would be increased from 81 900
tirement would Be optional at the
age of so, instead of IS.
The State would establish a sick
leave fund of Sl25,000 per year to
be used to reimburse localities for
one-half their expenditures for sick
leave. Each teacher would be en-
titled to 10 days session, accumu-
lative to not more than 30 days.
Ask ) Per Cent Income Levy.
The commisSion's program calls
for an overall increase in State
appropriations for public schools in
the 1948-50 biennium of $39, 1870
In celebrating on it's tax program,
the commission suggested that
rate of 5 per cent on personal in
comes above $1,000 is just and
fair and estimated this would raise
s4,075. 900 under present economic
conditions.
The commission recommended an
increase in the rate of the corpora
ton income tax from 3 to 5 per
cent and estimated that $685., ,5O8
would be derived from this. A
moderate increase" in rates of
gross receipts taxes on public service
corporations to yield an additional
81 100000 was asked.
The commission was headed by
State Senator Charles T. Moses of
Appomattox. Delegate William H.
Irvine of Campbell served as vice
chairman Members included Mrs.
William P. Anderson of Mount
Jackson DR.. George J. Oliver of
William and Mary; Delegate Shell
ton H. Short, jr., of Mecklenburg
DR.. Upton r. Snavely of the Uni
versity of Virginia, and Lewis G.
Chewing of Richmond.