Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-21
Virginia Bill Offered
In Effort 10 Solve
Area Road Problems
By Alex R. Preston
StoF StoH Correspondent

By Alex R. Preston
Sser Ssoff Correspondent
RICHMOND, Feb. 2o.-Wash-
ington's metropolitan area, with
its critical road problems, would
gain stronger representation or
the State Highway Commission
under two proposals to be offered
the General Assembly when II
reconvenes Monday.
Delegate Omer Hirst Of Fair
fax. had the plans ready in two
bills ready for introduction.
The House of Delegates, mean
while, passed and sent to the
Senate today a bill to give a
third judge to each of the two
circuits next to Washington.
Election Of Judges.
The bib carried an emergency
clause which means that the
general assembly would elect
Judges before adjournment on
March Is. Otherwise, Gov. STAN
ley. who lost the area in last
years primary and general cleo
ton, would be entitled to select
the jurists.
Two different approaches to-
ward modifying the Byrd auto
matte tax credit law were made
in the House this afternoon.
One was by Delegate Armistead
Boothe of Alexandria and the
other by Delegate George
Cochran of Staunton.
The measures were introduced
as the House again met by itself
In Saturday session to grind out
a long list of non controversial
matters on its calendar. Patrons
Of the new bills both said their
proposals did not violate the
spirit Of the Byrd law.
Tax Bills Compared.
Under the Cochran bill, tax
credits would be tied to the APP
preparations made by the AS
sembly rather than to revenue
estimates made by the Governor
several months before the as
sembly acts. Only II actual
revenues exceeded expenditures
authorized by athe legislature
would money go back to the
taxpayers.
The bill, by Delaware Boothe
would tie the tax credits to reve-
nue. estimates made by the Gov
ernor each year as Of July Is
Since neither attempts a grab
at the 81 million that Byrd law
people say the Assembly is NOR
ally obligated to return to the
taxpayers. they might, be con-
sidered compromises between
the Carter bill to suspend tar
refunds for three years and the
Byrd law purists.
But Senator Harry F. Byrd
jr.. author Of the tax credit
law, has declared himself en-
phatically opposed to any com.
promise Of the law. He led the
senate finance committee ir
killing the Carter bill. Is to 5
after 1t had already passed the
House. Sc to 40.
Hirst Offers Alternates.
Mr.. Hirst offered the legisla-
tors two alternate methods OF
giving his area what he regards
as more equitable representation
in the State roads policy.
One bill would create ii high
way construction districts, in.
stead of eight, with the new areas
embracing the 10th district, the
Richmond and the Norfolk areas
In this way, road funds would be
divided in IL approximately
equal parts.
An alternative proposition by
Mr.. Hirst is to leave the existing
eight construction districts UNI
changed but to require appoint
ment Of one highway commits
sioner from each of the 10 con-
gressional districts, plus one COM
missioner at large.
The House met for nearly
three hours to get rid of a host
of local or otherwise routine and
non-controversial measures. At
the outset it decided one objec-
ton would be sufficient to pass
a bill by for the day.
One Narrow Vote.
Despite this. there was one
very divided vote. No one OBJ
jected to taking up a bill by
Delegate Hale Collins to enable
guests in an automobile to re-
cover damages for death or in
jury If the driver failed to use
ordinary care. Under present
law, gross negligence must be
proved. But when a vote was
taken the bill passed by one. vote,
AZ to Al.
The Gordon Bill to permit the
use Of radar by State police in
enforcing speed laws passed 70
to Z.
Among new bills introduced
was one by Delegate Feliz
Edmunds Of Waynesboro, that
would require private and paro-
chial schools to make reports on