Evening star., 1949-12-23
More Se|f-Sufficiency
For Virginia Towns
Urged in Tax Report
By the Assoeiofed Press

RICHMOND, Va, Dec. 23.-A
report designed to make it pos
sible for localities in Virginia tt
achieve more self f-sufhciency il
financing governmental opera
tions was made today to Gov
Tuck and the General Assembly.
The 81 members of the Com
mission on State and Local Reve'
nues and Expenditures said o.
the big report which contained
50 recommendations:
1--WE believe that the adoption
Of the recommendations will
go long way toward revitalizine
the local property tax in Vir.
ginia ="
The commission was Of the
opinion that the State cannot
continue indefinitely ito increase
its appropriations to local govern
ments to finance services which
the localities desire but for which
they are unwilling to tax"
No Estimate Available.
Garland Gray of Waverly. a
State Senator and chairman OF
the commission, told reporters no
estimate was possible on ,'lollar
basis as to just what the report
would mean to the State and 10
calities.
He said, however, that If the
entire program passes the Legis-
lature-and it would take about
95 bills to encompass the recon-
mendations-there might be 9
slight loss in State revenues which
would be balanced against an in.
crease In local effort and CORE.
spending lighter demands on tht
State treasury.
The commission urged strict
economy in government and de-
clared the situation now confront.
ing Virginia demands the restric.
ton Of expenditures rather thar
increased taxation"
Any increases in State taxation
1t said, should be avoided for tn,
'foreseeable future" and it sug
gested that the Commonwealth
should live within its income.
The two primary factors which
have affected State and local f1s
cal operations most in recen
years, the report stated, "hav'
been the declining significance O
the property tax in financing tn
local government and the State
use Of Z many revenue source
which. have proved to be. highl.
productive, especially under tn
inflationary conditions.
Signed BY All Members.
The report was signed by al
members of the commission
However, seven filed "explanator.
statements" disagreeing with som
of the recommendations. The,
were: State Budget Directo
J. H: Bradford, Delegate Rober
Whitehead of Nelson. Charles W
Wampler of Harrisonburg, Dl
William H. Stauffer of Rich
mond, research director for tn
State Chamber of Commerce
william B. Speck, executive secre
tary Of the League of Virgini
Counties; Jonathan w. Old, jr
of Norfolk, and w. L. Zimmel
III, of Richmond. -
MIR. Whitehead and Mr.. Spec
said they believed a sales tax wa
Inevitable before long. Mr.. Wam
pier. a member of the State Boar
of Agriculture. came out for adop
ton of such tax. .-
DR.. Stauffer said that in som
instances where the facts an
findings would seem to indicat
the need for drastic remedies. tn
report suggests merely poultic
and analgesic." ..
Public education and improve
ment to the revenue system OF tn
localities were the subjects OF
majority of the recommendation
public welfare and assistance an
public health also came in fo
treatment.
Four-Year Revaluation Urged.
The report suggested a quad
rennial revaluation of real estat
in the cities and counties ever
four years, with an assist by tn
State Department of Taxation
The commission would transfer
the localities certain tax source
such as deeds. wills, suits and con
tracts, now yielding the Stat
some $1,500.000.
State budget practices would /