Evening star., 1948-01-28
Virginia Senate
Ready toAcfo on
Alexandra Bill
Measure Sets Dute
For Referendum on
Council Election
By Alex R. Preston
Ssor StoH Correspondent

senate today may pass the bill OF
Delegate Armistead L. Boothe Of
Alexandria, setting March as the
date for q referendum in that city
to determine whether the city
council shall be elected at large.
The measure, which was approved
yesterday by the Senate Counties,
Cities and Towns Committee, already
has passed the House.
Earlier, Senator Andrew w;
Clarke, also Of Alexandria, said that
because of opposition to the bill from
some persons, he would ask that
committee action be deferred until
Charter Bill Studied.
Meanwhile, the controversial Rich-
mond City charter bill, with public
finally ended, will be con-
sidered tomorrow by the Counties,
Cities and Towns Committee Of the
House.
Public hearings on the measure
we're conducted yesterday by the
Legislative Committees Of both the
House and Senate. Chairman Joseph
]. Williams Of the House Committee
said his group will consider the
charter measure in executive session
tomorrow.
Most Of the arguments on the
Richmond charter were over a sec
ton to prohibit partisan primaries
in connection with election Of the
city council. This feature Of the
bill has attracted attention of Ar
lington residents who seek enact
ment of law requiring nonpartisan
elections of the County Board and
School Board.
Taxes remained the focal point Of
interest in both ends of the Capitol
during the regular sessions Of the
two branches of the Assembly.
Senator Fenwick, introduced a bill
to impose cent excise tax on
each package of cigarettes. Money
raised would be earmarked exclu-
sively for a hospital construction
fund he proposed to create.
Localities Needs Cited.
Predicting the States entire
health program will fall" if the
legislature does not aid localities
in financing hospitals and health
centers, Senator Fenwick said many
of the rural areas, least able to pay
but in greatest need of medical
facilities, would lose out under the
Federal Hill-Brown Act unless the
State provides some assistance.
4 am reluctant to introduce q
bill Of this type because I am 100
per cent behind the Governors pro.
gram" Senator Fenwick declared.
He referred to Gov. Tuck's seven-
point tax program to raise the levy
on existing sources Of the revenue.
The program has been estimated
to yield $2l, 10000 extra during the
next two years.
Senator Fenwick said the cigar
cite tax would yield about $2,0oo,-
900 a year and expressed disap-
pointment that Gov. Tuck has
made no provision for State par
ticipation in the Hill Burton Act.
He said that If any one else could
offer more acceptable plan for
raising money to aid localities in
their health programs, he would
"be happy to support such a plan"
Sales Tax Bill Offered.
In the House, Delegate Jack w.
Witten of Tazewell County, who
introduced a 8 per cent sales tax
bill, predicted the next General As
sembly will pass such a measure.
members inferred from his
speech that he does not expect his
bill to pass this session.
A lively exchange occurred in the
House between opposing sides Of a
bill to abolish the States wartime
law prohibiting sale of fireworks.
The measure Is sponsored by Dele
gate Frank P. Moncure of Stafford
and Prince william Counties.
Mr.. Moncure said that "for all
practical purposes" the war has
ended and there is no further need
for the law. He contended other
statutes give localities optional con-
troll over the sale of fireworks.
Delegate o. F. McCue of Char
lottesville, chief patron of the war;
time act in 1914, urged that tha
measure be made permanent.
A motion by Mr.. McCue to strike
the Moncure bill from the calendar
in order to kill it was lost by vote
Of 40 to 43.
Bill Offered in House.
A score Of bills was dropped into
the House hopper yesterday. Among
them were the following:
BY Delegate v. C. Smith of
Grundy, to place community
property law on the statute books.
Husband and wife would share
equally in family income and prop
erty and they could split their in
come to gain in lower Federal in
come tax brackets.
BY Delegate Robert J. McCand-
lish, jr., Of Fairfax, to raise the fee
of election registrars from 10 cents
to Is cents per person; to permit
his county to own up to so acres
of land, and TO increase per diem
salary of the County Electoral Board
members from 81 to $40 with the
annual total raised from $3.50 to
5000.
Senator Clarke, introduced two
bills to prevent double jeopardy IN
criminal cases and to permit court
clerks to furnish certain legal
processes.
Senator Robert r. Baldwin, Of
sponsored a bill to increase
the States road mileage to cities
from $4,000 to $4,000 a year for
each mile of State highway.
Arlington Legislative Group