Evening star., 1948-03-14

favor poll tax repeal at the same
time must indorse q more powerful
State Board Of Elections that could
remove local election officials, and
give added authority to future Gen.
eral Assemblies to prescribe voting
requirements.
Threats of filibuster were made
late this afternoon when Senate
bills to increase salaries of certain
State officials arrived in the House.
They would increase pay brackets
for trial justices, commissioners of
revenue, treasurers, commemorative
attorneys and city sergeants.
Delegates E. O. McCue of Chariot
tesville. and Robert N. Whitehead
of Nelson County, threatened to
talk all night" against passages of
the measures.
Described as Shocking
Delegate William J. Gibson of
Fredericksburg, described the pro-
posal as shocking" Delegate
Frank p. Moncure of Stafford, who
three times has been unsuccessful
in increasing the pay OF highway
department employees from S. to rs
cents an hour, cried:
"Yet you refuse to help the most
underpaid servants of the State
the highway department workers.
Floor Leader E. Blackburn Moore
praised the splendid work" of the
officials. He said House amend
ments reduced the fiat 20 per cent
increases for all to apply only to the
brackets up to 5000 and Is per
cent on salaries of more than 5000.
The House approved the bills "a
to "a.
Opponents succeeded in defeating
a companion measure which would
have set up a retirement system for
trial justices.
Annexation Compromise.
The House unanimously agreed
to substitute annexation bill for
that originally proposed by Delegate
Paul Crockett Of Yorktown. Instead
Of requiring approval of rs per cent
Of the voters in an area affected, the
revised plan merely instructs the
courts as to factors to be considered
in annexation suits.
The courts were instructed to con-
slider, among other things, the best
interests" as well as the taxable land
values lost and gained by the coun-
ties and cities involved in suits.
Cities would reimburse counties for
public improvements, including
schools, within the areas.
Earlier IN the day, when the
Senate approved the measure, Sena-
tor Earl Fitzpatrick of Roanoke
raised point OF order that the sub
stitute bill incorporated the features
of another measure by Senator
Lloyd c. Bird of Chesterfield Coun-
ty which already had been killed.
Lieut.. Gov. Collins overruled him,
however.
Fenwick Supports Revision.
Senator Charles r. Fenwick Of
Arlington, who usually takes the po-
sition of cities in annexation prob
lems-because Arlington may incor-
porate one day-urged passage of
the revised plan, however. He said
it was a compromise and the best
way that legislators from the cities
could fairly deal with the counties
on the problem.
The bill that "the country boys"
had been sitting on" until an
annexation bill was passed was one
sponsored by Senator Robert G.
Baldwin of Norfolk. It gives cities,
in addition to $4,000 per mile each
year for primary highways within
their limits, $500 for other streets
that meet prescribed standards.
Money Tax Repealed.
The Senate passed the Holland
House Bill repeating the tax on
money-known as the tax on in
tangible personal property. Dele
gate Shirley r. Holland OF Isle of
Wight, said the action will save
taxpayers more than 100000 a
year"
The Senate passed the last of
Gov. Tuck's tax bills-the increase
in the gross receipts tax on public
service corporations from one and
one-half to two per cent.
The house rejected, "a to 81, the
Norris Senate resolution for a ref
erendum on q constitutional amend
ment extending the term of the