Evening star., 1947-01-10
Teacher Pay Bill
Boosts Virginia
Liquor Tax 1929
Unanimous Action
Sends House Measure
Over First Hurdle

By Alex R. Preston
Stoy Stoff CORRESPONDENT

ulQlCdIlOllS IL lIldy NC W3AAAAAS w SS
beyond the $6,5O0,000 school appro-
priation, mostly for teacher salary
increases, recommended by Gov.
Tuck in his call for the present
special General Assembly session.
Requiring unanimous consent for
its introduction, bill imposing an
additional 10 per cent tax on wine
and liquors and designed to raise
more than 100000 annually was
before the House after it had been
directly tied in with the teacher
salary program.
The measure was introduced yes
terday by Delegate Robert White
head, Nelson County, shortly after
the House Committee on Schools
and Colleges adopted another
Whitehead measure in the form OF
an amendment to the Governors
school bill to add $1,500,000 to the
original proposal during the next
IS months. The action was taken
without dissent, although some
members earlier had expressed the
belief the Appropriations Committee
was the proper authority to pass on
the amendment.
Objection Avoided.
The House Appropriations Com
mittee was scheduled to consider the
bill at a meeting shortly before To-
days regular noon session.
Some indication of House senti-
ment on the Whitehead 'pay as you
drink" program was reflected when
widespread applause greeted an
other members decision not to on-
ject to the legislation.
Delegate John B. Boatwright;
buckingham, had blocked introduc-
ton of an earlier financing tax
measure Tuesday when Delegate E.
Blackburn Moore, Winchester and
Clarke, sought to levy one-half OF
/ per cent raise in income taxes.
Mr.. Boatwright gave every indi-
cation yesterday of objecting to Mr..
Whitehead's bill on the same
grounds that unnecessary taxes
should not be levied and that the
State already has sufficient funds
to carry out a teacher salary pro-
gram. Before he objected, how
ever, there was a widespread chorus
of mono" from his colleagues, and
when he sat down without pressing
his objection, the hall was filled
with applause from nearly all mem
bers.
In addition to providing an esti-
mated As 600 900 the first year and
$1,000 900 the second year for teacher
nav raises, Mr.. Whitehead said the
proposed 10 per cent wine and liquor
tax also would leave funds available
for tuberculosis sanitariums, mental
hospitals and rehabilitation pro-
gram for alcoholics.
None of the added revenue would
be earmarked under Mr.. White
heads bill, but he said the House
Appropriations Committee could
amend the Governors bill to specify
where the money should go. The
proposed tax would re-instate levy
removed from wine and liquor by the
1912 General Assembly, Mr.. White
head explained.
Under the Whitehead amendment,
adopted by the Schools and Colleges
Committee, funds for pay raises
would be boosted from $2,052 600 IN
the Governors bill to $2,552, 900 the
first school year and from $500 600
to s45OO,O00 the second year. Ap-
propriations Committee approval OF
the liouor tax bill would make pos
sible even greater increases for both
years.
The committee also approved an
amendment by Delegate c. G. Ques-
enbury, Waynesboro, to add Sl0,Ooo
to salaries of personnel at the Vr-
pinia School for the Deaf and the
Blind at Staunton and ST 900 for the
Virginia State School at Newport
News, for colored deaf and blind.
The increases would be spread over
the next 18 months.
Heated Hearing Held.
Delegate o. E. McCue, Charlottes-
vile, and Mr.. Moore, had opposed
MIR. Whitehead'S amendment before
the committee.
The second major portion OF Gov.
Tuck's special session legislative pro-
gram was aired at heated hearing
Yesterday before a joint meeting on
the House Labor and Senate Courts
of Justice Committees. TWO pllls
embodying Mr.. Tuck's proposals are
now before each house. They seek
to maintain "open shop" policies In
Virginia enterprises and to prevent
immediate cessation of work IN es-
sential public utilities.
The Joint hearing on the labor
proposals was held before a packed
audience in the House OF Delegates
chamber and lasted three hours.
The committees adjourned without
taking action, but were scheduled
to meet again today in an effort
to report the measures In some form
to the floors of the House and Sen
ate
The Senate, unencumbered by
floor consideration of the Govern
or's controversial teachers program
until after the House acts, was the
first to pass legislation at the cur
rent special session. 1t approved
and sent to the House bill by Sen
ator Andrew w. Clarke, Alexandra
and Fairfax, to establish a Fairfax
County employees retirement system
and a bill by Senator j. A. CARRIER,
Harrisonburg, authorizing a war
memorial stadium on the high
school grounds in his home COM
munity.
Delegate Walter Scott, Roanoke,
was the chief sponsor of a new
House bill authorizing governing
bodies of cities and towns to op-
crate parking lots with or without
charge.
Delegate Edwin w. Lynch, Fair
fax, introduced Francis Pickens
Miller after paying glowing tri-
butte to the latter's record in both
wars and in the assembly as dele
gate from Fairfax County. Mr..
Miller entered the World War I as
private and emerged a lieutenant
and returned from overseas after
World War II with the rank of
colonel.
Before the House granted Mr..
Whitehead unanimous consent for