Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-22
80 u hi
kse1ibly0eb 4
Vote Measure
For Alexandria
EIectiono CounciImer
At Large Provided;
Fuirfox Bill Submitted

By Alex Z. Preston
Ssor Staff Correspondent

sion, retirement and death benefit
system for Fairfax County employees
and to give Alexandria voters an
opportunity to elect their City
Council members at large today
were before the General Assembly
The Fairfax measure Is sponsored
by Senator Andrew w. Clarke, who
also represents Alexandria ano
Prince William County. The Alex.
andria bill is the first to be spon.
sored by Delegate Armistead L
Boothe of that city. Both were in.
troduced yesterday.
Also introduced yesterday was 6
joint resolution to submit to vote
of the people constitutional amend.
ments to eliminate the poll tax a.
q prerequisite to voting.
Senator Clarke's proposal permits
the Fairfax County Board of Super.
visors to put the pension and benefit
system into effect, but does not
make such action compulsory.
Salary Deductions Provided.
The supervisors could compe,
membership in the plan and make
collections from county employees by
salary deductions. Supplementary
appropriations from the county
could be made and the supervisors
would be authorized to levy specia.
taxes to implement the program.
Persons in the continuous employ
of the county government prior to
effectiveness of the plan would, II
the supervisors so declare, benefit
from appropriations the county
would be authorized to make.
Safeguards against diversion Of
pension, retirement and death
benefit funds are provided.
Mr.. Boothe said the Alexandra
proposal is not new, although spe.
cif1c authorize ton Is needed for 6
referendum this year on the method
of electing the City Council.
Alexandria elected council mem.
bers at large from 1920 to 1943 anc
then voted to change to the present
system, Mr.. Boothe explained. Ir
1914 voters again voted to retain thu
present system.
Two Plans for Council.
He said there is a widespread
movement to change back to thu
at large method. Under terms o.
his bill, the at large plan, If ap.
proved in referendum, would op.
crate as follows:
Seven, instead of nine, council.
men would be elected. In order
to change over from the present
plan, only four councilmen woulc
be elected for one-year terms this
year. The three whose terms expire
next year would hold over until the
1s49 election. Thereafter, all seven
councilmen would be elected fol
two-year terms and the one recelv-
ing the highest vote would be the
presiding officer and ex-officio
Mayor.
Under an alternate plan, six
councilmen would be elected from
the wards and three would continue
to be named at large, as at present.
All Of those elected would serve
two years. At present, only the
ward councilmen serve two years
and those named at large serve
three-year terms.
If the second plan is approved
by voters, only the six ward coun-
cilmen would be elected this year
and the remaining three would
continue their terms so that all
would complete their tenure sinful
taneously.
Referendum Would Be Held.
To determine which method is tt
be followed, a special referendum
election would be held March 2
Under either plan, candidates
would file their declarations of in
ton to run 80 days prior to the
April 6 primary and the election
would be held June g. Those elected
would assume Office September l.
Senator Charles r. Fenwick o!
Arlington sponsored bill to trans
fer the examination of drivers
and inspection of automobiles from
the Jurisdiction of the State police
to the Department of Motor
Vehicles.
Senator Fenwick's measure was
dropped into the hopper about ar
hour before Gov. Tuck delivered
his message on the reorganization
of the State government The De-
partment of Motor Vehicles would
be transferred to the Department
of Taxation under the Governor
program.
If the Governors reorganization
program is enacted, Senator Fen
wick said he would study Other
means of accomplishing the objec-
tives of his bill, which he explained
is designed to free more State po-
licemen for law enforcement duties
and provide better service to the
public.
Rift Between Parties Develops.
The first open rift of the session
between members of the two oppos-
ing political parties developed in the
House yesterday.
Delegate Ralph Lincoln of Marion
one of eight House Republicans anc
who Is mentioned as his partys pos
sible candidate for Governor next
year, criticized recent committee as
signments. He called attention tt
the fact that no member Of the
COP had been assigned to the Priv.
ileges and Elections Committee, the
Appropriations Committee and the
Schools and Colleges Committee.
Declaring Republicans had cas-
about one-third of the vote in re.
cent State elections, Mr.. Lincoln
said his party is entitled to minority
representation on the Legislature
most important study groups.
ct believe the minority party i!
entitled to minority voice" he said
1--WE do not ask you Democrats tt
give up your privileges and preroga'
tives. We do not ask even for parity
but we do ask for minority repre-.
sentation."
Congress Set-up Cited.
Delegate Bentley Hite of Mont.
gomery County, concurred in MIR
Lincolns comments and complained
that his request for assignment tx
the Schools and Colleges Commit.
tee had not been complied with
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