Evening star., 1954-02-04
Census Bill Offered
To Speed Funds 10
Fast-Growing Areas
BY Alex R. Preston
Stor StoH Correspondent


gate Omer Hirst of Fairfax
County today proposed legisla-
ton for the General Assembly to
give his county a larger share
of State revenues to keep
abreast Of rapid population
growth.
There's no reason why fast
growing areas in Virginia. such
as ours, should have to wait 10
years for a Federal census be-
fore we get the money we need
to meet our school and road
problems" Mr. Hirst said.
Population figures reported in
the official United States census
every 10 years are used in COM
putting funds received by coun-
ties from such State sources as
the gasoline tax and Alcoholic
Beverage Control Fund.
Mr.. Hirst is drafting a bill to
provide that when the governing
body of any county believed
there had been an increase of
at least $4,000 inhabitants. it
could ask for an official Census
Bureau count.
Bars Reckless Requests.
"It is my purpose" he said. Ito
prevent counties from calling
recklessly for a census. because
the cost of the population count
would have to be borne by
county. But when a county like
Fairfax is assured of population
increases far beyond the rate of
, others. it should get State aid
in meeting its problems.
After all, the new residents of
Fairfax are citizens of Virginia
who contribute their share to the
gas tax. The ABC fund and in
come tax, to mention a few. I
don't see why we should have
to wait until the 1860 census to
get benefits we are entitled to in
1854"
Meanwhile, Mr. Hirst joined
his colleague from Fairfax, Dele
gate John c. Webb. in sponsor
ing bill yesterday to authorize
surveyors to go on the lands or
waters of others to make surveys
for Subdividing, zoning or for
carrying out zoning ordinances.
500 Exemption Bill.
Senator John A. K. Donovan
of Fairfax dropped in a bill de-
signed to equalize the State in
come tax burden so that relief
would be provided for those with
large families and, at the same
time. no revenue loss would be
experienced by the State.
His bill, in effect, would give
$700 acroSS-the- board exemption
for a man, his wife and for each
child.
At present. $1,000 is allowed
for the taxpayer. an equal
amount for the spouse and 5000
1Or eacn QeQeQQent.
For instance, married couple
with one child now gets a $4,000
exemption. Under the Donovan
proposal, the exemption would be
$2.100.
But the more children a couple
has. the higher the exemption
would be. At present, a couple
with two children gets an exemp-
tion of $2,400. Under his pro-
posal, it would be $4,000. And
so it would go-S700 for each
dependent.
Mr.. Donovan, reader of the
comic strip Pogo" in The Wash
lngton Star, likes to refer to the
legislation as the tad bill"
which-for the uninformed-
means "tadpole.
THE greater the number of
"tads," the smaller the amount
Of the tab" said the Senator.
Checked With Morrissett.
He said he had checked with
the State Tax Department and
the commissioner, c. H. Morris
sett, had calculated that the bill
would not reduce the States
revenues. Mr.. Morrissett indorSed
the bill as good equalization"
law. Senator Donovan said.
Delegate Tom Frost of War;
renton, an automobile dealer, in
troduced legislation to permit
dealers to use only one State
license tag on new cars, instead
of two.
Mr.. Boothe, an Alexandria
lawyer and member of the Viz
ginia Code Commission, intro
duced a bill to appropriate $15,-
600 to the commission for pre-
pairing and publishing the new