Evening star., 1950-03-15
Virginio's New Legislation

VirgniaS 1850 General Assembly produced
q lot of important legislation, but its chief claim
to fame will be its revolutionary contribution
to the States public school system. The con-
tribution was revolutionary because it involved
a complete break with the States tradition that
the responsibility for school construction rests
with counties and municipalities.
The radical departure from custom was
made on recommendation of Governor Battle,
who held that the school emergency was such as
to justify State intervention-on a temporary
basis only The Assembly, after much debate,
finally agreed to the Governors proposal. AS
result, $45 million of State funds will be allo-
Gated to localities to assist them in providing
more and better claSSroomS for today'S children.
Under the local system of financing, thousands
of these boys and girls would have been denied
the educational facilities to which they were
entitled. Governor Battle and Assembly leaders
made it plain, however, that this State largess is
not to be regarded as justfyng similar gratuities
in the future. Particularly should this warning
apply to the extraordinary concession under
which local authorities were not required to
match any part of the States contribution.
Unfortunately, it will be hard to fend off future
efforts to have the State assume greater burdens
In the fields of school and other financing.
Teachers too, were benefited by new legisla-
tion, despite the ASSembly's rejection of a move
to appropriate a million dollars for salaries of
certifcated teachers. The latter item was de-
feated because of warnings that it not only would
have unbalanced the budget but would have
reduced the funds available for welfare and
other important services. But the Legislature
guaranteed certifcated teachers a minimum of
$4,000 a year, which means raises of up to
$500 in some counties, and it liberalized retire
ment benefits for teachers and public employees
generally.
Worth special mention also in the realm of
Statewide legislation were the granting of per-
manent authority to the Governor to seize and
operate coal mines in strike or other emergen-
cies, appropriation of funds for improving well
fare institutions, reforms in commitment pro-
cedures for mental institutions so as to give
greater protection for the interests of those
committed, approval of voluntary service by
women on juries and authority for counties to
set up agencies qualified to handle bond issues
for sewage disposal, water and similar facilities.
In the local field, Northern virginias prob
lens were given considerable attention. Border
line reciprocity for doctors in the Washington
Metropolitan Area was approved with similar
privileges around the entire border of the State),
the States share of funds for completion of the
George Washington Memorial Parkway to the
Fairfax County line was appropriated and
charters were granted to Alexandria and Falls
Church.
On the questionable side was the Assembly's
adoption, after bitter fight, of the plan for
graduated reduction of income taxes if the
States revenues exceed estimates. This will
mean that some surplus funds which would have
been available for urgent school, welfare and
other needs will be returned to the taxpayers,
instead. With the needs as critical as State
officials represent them to be, the contingent
tax-reduction plan does not make much sense.