Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-25
Delegates Plot
New Tactics
For ST Million
Tux-Reduction Foes
Still Hopeful After
Carter Move Fails
BY the Asseeioted Press

SSb WI bNtONS . 0buS
BY the Assoeiotsd Press
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 25-
House members favoring sus-
pension of the Byrd Tax Reduc-
ton Act refused to admit defeat
today as they sought new legis-
lative ways to reclaim 81 million
for vital Virginia needs.
They expressed new hope the
funds could be written into the
State budget for needs in the
fields Of health. education and
mental hospitals.
But they were undecided as
to how to make their next flank
ing attack at the 81 million
earmarked in the budget for
State income tax cuts under the
Byrd act.
The proponents of suspending
the Byrd law for two years
scored a $40 victory in the
House several weeks ago when
the low chamber approved the
Carter bill. But the Senate FL
nance Committee killed the
measure, 1875.
Surprise Move Sprung.
Yesterday, when the House
Appropriations Committee re-
ported out the largest budget in
Virginia'S history-some $3.50
millionaire Carter bill forces
sprang forth with a surprise
move.
Delegate Maynard Magruder Of
Arlington offered motion to in
struct the Appropriations Com
mittee to take the 81 million and
earmark it for State needs.
The motion touched of a whirl
of debate during which oppo-
nentS questioned the legislative
legality of the move in view Of
the Senate Finance Committees
killing of the Carter bill.
Proponents took the view the
Senate committee wouldn't dare
scratch out Of the budget money
that was definitely earmarked
for important needs.
Beaten by 50 to A.
In the end. the motion was
beaten down, 52-44, with the tide
being turned against the Carter
bill hackers by six previous sup
porters-each a member Of the
Appropriations Committee.
The six voted against the mo-
ton because they felt morally
bound to support the budget as
submitted to the House floor. -
The next step in the fight
might well be attempts to tack
amendments onto the budget on
the floor to use the 81 million.
Some of the advocates Of Byrd
Act suspension were of the opin-
ion the Appropriations Commit
tee members wouldn't be under
any compulsion to vote against
such amendments.
If such were the case. they
thought the chances were fairly
good for transferring some of the
Byrd act funds on the floor.
Poll Tax Fight Due.
Another floor fight was ex-
pected to come up today as Dele
gate Walter Page of Norfolk
planned anew to make his at
tempt for House consideration of
a resolution to repeal the poll tax.
The poll tax repeater was killed
by the Privileges and Elections
Committee last week at the urg-
ing of Democratic administration
leaders.
Mr.. Page, however, believes
he'll have enough floor votes to
discharge the committee and put
the resolution across in the lower
chamber. A previous Page resolu-
ton passed the House in 1852,
only to die in the Senate.
Kill Sales Tax Bill.
On another taxation front,
Delegate Sam Pope suffered his
usual biennial defeat on a pro-
posed State retail sales tax. The
House Finance Committee killed
the bill without so much as a
word nf discussion
The same committee also re-
jected a proposal of the South
anton lawmaker to give hus-
bands and wives $4,000 exemp-
tons each in filing their State
income tax returns.
A bill that had the backing of
c. H. Morrissett, State tax COM
missioner, was killed by the Sen
ate Finance Committee. This
would have granted $700 exemp-
tions to each member of FAM
lily. At present, husband and
wife get $1,000 apiece and each
child or dependent relative 5000.
Mr.. Morrissett had said the
change wouldn't cost the State
anything in revenue loss.
The House Finance Committee
approved by a 1913 vote a bill Of
fered by Delegate w. c. Elliott
of Russell County to provide a
tax on whisky to finance an al
coholic rehabilitation program.
DR.. Elliott proposed a scent
per-bottle tax, but the commit
tee trimmed it to 3 cents. The
levy would yield approximately
q million dollars a year.
The Senate Courts Of Justice
Committee, meantime, put to
death . House bill to permit a
passenger in a car to sue for
damages on grounds of simple
negligence in accident cases. At
present, the law requires the
proving of gross negligence.