Evening star., 1952-02-05
Bill Proposes
County Attorney
For Arlington
Assembly Measure
Permits Referendum
On Greeting Office
By Alex r. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondent

Dy Alex u. PRESTON
Sfar Ssaff Correspondent
RICHMOND, Feb. 5.-A bill tt
give Arlington voters an oppor-
tunity to decide this year whether
to create the Office of county at
torney was to be introduced in
the General Assembly today.
He could defend the board and
its members against suits, but the
authority to institute suits for the
board would be retained by the
Commonwealth's attorney.
If a sufficient number of voters
signed a petition to the court for
referendum, these questions
would appear on the ballot:
Shall the position of attorney
to the County Board be created?"
Followed by boxes marked For, u
and Against"
"If such position is created,
shall the county attorney be:
Elected by the people? !
Appointed by the County
Board?"
$4,000 Salary Limit.
The measure, which was pre-
pared by Senator Charles r. Fen
wick and Delegates j. Maynard
Magruder and George Damn, sets
the salary for the proposed new
Office at not more than $4,000 a
year. The county attorney would
furnish the board with written
legal advice in connection with
official acts of the board, pre-
pare ordinances when requested
by the board and attend all board
meetings.
The county attorney could not
be assigned duties that general
law require of the Common
wealth's attorney, but the bill
specifically relieves the Common
wealth's attorney of the response
bility of attending all board meet
ings.
If the voters decided that the
board would appoint the new Off
cial, he would serve at the pleas
ure of the board, but no longer
than one year without renewal by
a board majority. 1t would be un-
lawful for the board to appoint
more than one county attorney
at a time.
The attorney would have to be
q resident of the county and, If
elected, his term would have to
coincide with that of the Com
naonwealth's attorney-that is.
four years. .
y Mn on Fairfax Zoning.
Senator John A. K. Donovan Of
Fairfax also has ready for offering
today bill to remove a provision
of the law requiring the Board Of
Supervisors of his county to sub
NIT coming ordinances to the peo-
pie. That became necessary when
Fairfax changed over to the coun-
ty executive form of government
on January /.
Delegate Tom Frost Of Fauquier
will introduce bill to change the
law relating to payment OF live
stock owners for animals killed
by dogs. At present owners are
paid the fair market value of the
dead animal. His bill would per-
init payment of the assessed
value.
"It should prompt some live
stock owners to seek fairer
assessment of their animals" MIR.
Frost said. He said that if a
man had a COW worth 500 but
assessed at only $40, then he
would be limited to collecting $40
If the animal was killed by a dog.
Delegate Edwin Lynch of Fair
fax introduced a new bill to raise
from $500 to $4,000 the amount
of benefits paid when a volunteer
fireman is killed in line of duty in
Fairfax County.
Charter Revision Bill.
Delegate Armistead Boothe Of
Alexandria introduced volumi-
nous bill containing the recon-
mendations of his city council for
revisions to the Alexandria char
ter. The changes were prepared
by a committee of the council and
given council approval few weeks
ago.
Meanwhile, 1t. Gen. Clifton B.
Gates, commandant of the Marine
Corps schools at Quantico. has in
dicated he is opposed to legisla-
ton designed to lift rent controls
in the Quantico area. as well as in
two other sections of the State.
This was disclosed by Delegate
Frank P. Moncure Of Stafford. who
had said last week that Quantico
officials had shown no interest in
his statement that he would op-
pose the rent control repeal meas
ure. Yesterday, however. Mr.. Mon
cure said he had talked with Gen
Gates, who told him that either
he or representative of the Ma
rine Corps schools would appear
before a House committee today to
oppose the bill. The measure was
offered by Delegate John B. Boat
wright Of Buckingham.
Byrd Bill Reported.
The House Financing Commit
tee reported the automatic income
tax reduction bill of Senator Harry
F. Byrd. jr., of Winchester. The
vote was IA to 2, with Delegates
Damn and Robert Whitehead oi
Nelson, voting against it. The
committee also killed a Whitehead
bill designed to repeal outright the
present Byrd automatic income
tax reduction law.
Among bills passed by the HOUSE
and sent to the Senate was one BY
Mr.. Lynch and the suburban
Washington delegation to author.
ize adoption Of daylight saving
time by simpler procedure.
The Senate passed and sent te
Tho uniYsa fha Enyauyiclk hill II