Evening star., 1954-03-13
Virginia Assembly
Is DeadIocked Over
Budget on Final Day
By Alex r. Preston
Star Siaff Correspondent

RICHMOND, Va, Mar. l3.--
The General Assembly went into
what is scheduled to be its final
session of 1854 today with the
House and Senate deadlocked
over a budget bill amendment
that would suspend the auto
matte tax credit law and make
81 million more available.
The upper branch passed a
hree-quarter billion dollar budg-
ct after removing a House,
approved "Boothe amendment"
that would have suspended the
Byrd tax reduction act.
Differences also centered on
two versions of a formula for
distributing State aid -to-educa-
ton money and over a 5000 900
cut that the Senate made from
public welfare services. ii
Lindsay Offers Objection.
With the budget bill sent to a
conference committee of the
two Houses in an attempt to
iron out differences, a further
complication developed late yes
terday. Attorney General J.
Lindsay Almond. jr., ruled that
the 81 million House amendnent
was not in proper form to carry
out its desired purpose.
He said. in effect. the Bootle
amendment would permit the
Legislature to appropriate the 81
million due to be credited on in
come tax bills next December,
but it would not prevent taxpay-
erS from claiming the reductions
anyway.
Senator Harry F. Byrd, jr.,
uncompromising author of the
four-year r-old law, fought down
the Boothe amendment in the
Senate. He interpreted the at
torney generals opinion to mean
that the House position would
embark Virginia on the same
road to deficit financing that has
proved SO detrimental to the
Federal Government"
Midnight Adjournment.
Alexandria Delegate Armistead
Boothe, chief patron of the dis
puted amendment, was consult
ing with other lawyer members
and was reported ready to submit
new language to overcome the
objection raised by the attorney
general.
There was considerable talk
that the clock would be stopped
in the legislative halls before
the deadline for adjournment at
midnight. A number of the So
delegates who backed the Boothe
amendment were confidently
telling their colleagues, Don't
pack your grips too early" in
dicating that they, at least, were
willing to stay here at their own
expense. If necessary. until the
Senate gives in to the House
views on the budget.
In other developments. a pro-
posal to study privately owned
water companies moved closer
to reality when the House passed
resolution by Delegate Omer
Hirst of Fairfax. 1t now is be-
fore the Senate Rules Committee.
Four Year Terms Killed.
This same committee quickly
trounced a House proposal that
members Of the lower branch be
elected for four-year terms in
stead Of for two years. The vote
to kill it was unanimous.
A new move was under way
to have study made Of the
Virginia Milk Commission. the
retail price fixing powers of
which are bitterly fought in the
Arlington Alexandria area and
other urban centerS.
The House sent to the Cover
nor bill by Senator Charles r.
Fenwick of Arlington. providing
a method for recounting ballots
in congressional races when the
difference in votes is 500 or less.
Also given final action were
two bills by Senator John A. K.
Donovan Of Fairfax, opening the
way for his county to take over
facilities of sanitary districts and
enter into agreements with Alex
andria for Joint operation of
sewage disposal plants.