Evening star., 1952-01-30
By Alex R. Preston

Stor Sfuff Correspondent
RICHMOND, Jan. 80. - The
Byrd automatic income tax re-
duction bill was due to cross its
Hrst hurdle by passing the State
Senate. today.
It weathered a major test yes
terday when the Senate turned
down amendments by Senator E.
o. McCue, jr., of Charlottesville.
designed to trim tax increases
voted in 1948 by so per cent.
And, Senator Charles r. Fen
wick Of, Arlington, who voted
against the original law in 1850,
again attacked the revised version
as unSound.
The bill would give taxpayers a
refund when actual receipts ex-
ceed by a specified amount the
sums estimated as revenues in the
State budget. Senator Fenwick' S
argument was that this prevents
saving in prosperous years to tide
the State over in periods of de-
preston. He said the plan could
lead to bonded Indebtedness
radical departure from the pres
ent pay-as-you-go system.
Other Developments.
It was a news-packed session
at both ends of the Capitol for
Northern Virginians. These were
some of the developments:
Introduction Of a bill by Dele
gates George Damn and j. May
nard Magruder of Arlington, EN-
powering the county bosrd tc
conduct Investigations and to
subpoena county employees and
records.
A new bill revising an original
version to make bribery in ath-
letic contests a crime
A new bill by Senator John A
K. Donovan of Fairfax revising
the law permitting park author.
tiles to be established.
| A bill by Senator Victor Wilson
OF Hampton 10 .abolishI the Mill
Commission.
/. Two bills by Senator Donovan
amending l the sanitafy district
laws.
A resolution by Delegates Ma.
gruder, Damn and Vernon s
Shaffer, Republican, of Shenan.
doah County. to rescind Genera
Assembly action in 1914 which
approved world federation.
"Anti- Truman" Law Move.
A bill to repeal the. 1948 "anti.
Truman" law which would permit
Virginia presidential electors tt
vote for some one other than the
national party nominee.
1t was presented by Delegate
Robert Whitehead of Nelson
County who said the bill would:
''Take away from the State con.
vention the power to say for whom
the electoral vote will be cast anc
return it to the hands of the peo.
pie where it formerly was"
1t is designed, he said, to pre-.
vent Virginia Democrats from
boiling away from the regular
Democratic nominee in the pres.
idental election this year.
The House Education Commit
tee killed two measures designed
to bring county school boards
closer to the voters. It knocked
down the Moncure bill to have
school boards named by boards o1
of supervisors and the. Robertson
bill to have school trustee electoral
boards named by supervisors. Al
present the circuit judges name
the school electoral boards which
in turn name the school boards
School Board Question.
Also killed by the House Educa-
ton Committee was a House res
olution calling for constitutions,
amendments to allow the voters te
decide whether boards Of super.
visors should serve also as schoo
boards.
The Magruder- Damn bill would
empower the Arlington County
Board to inquire into the official
conduct of any Office, officer o.
|employe under its control.
Their bill aimed at bribery ir
athletic events is similar to one
previously sponsored by them but
contains changes suggested by 8
House committee. An identica
bill, sponsored by Senator Fen.
wick. is scheduled for passage II
the upper house today. The new
version, however, provides NOR,
latitude in penalties imposed, Sc
that a person who offers q bribt
would be guilty of a felony whiis
one who accepts a bribe would be
guilty either Of a felony or &
lmisdemeanor.
Mr.. Donoyan's park authority
bill would amend the law to per.
init cities to join authorities, a!
well as counties. It also woule
permit cities or counties to with,
draw from q park authority, pro.
Ividing there is no outstanding
bonded debt obligations. Parl
authorities also would be empow'
Iered to issue revenue-producint
bonds to finance projects fol
which admission would be charged
One of the Donovan sanitar.
district bills would permit charges
against property owners VIII,
benefited from special services Il
be, levied along with the real es.
tate tax bills.
The ether bill relates to hov
Iareas may Withdraw. from a sani'
Itary district If there is no out.
standing debt That action coull
he taken either by vote of tht
Icounty supervisors o. BY petition
Iof Is per cent OF the propert.
owners Of the affected area.
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