Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-24
Governor Is Hopeful
Budget Can Provide
Raise for Teachers
! By the Associated Press

RICHMOND. Va. Jan. %. -
The Virginia General Assembly.
confronted with the budget of
one Governor and his successors
program to expand State aid to
education. expected to get the
administrations view early next
week on how the two can be
reconciled.
Gov. Stanley said he was very
hopeful his higher teacher-pay
program could be put into effect
within the financial boundaries
Of the budget left him by former
Gov. Battle.
He will meet with the House
Appropriations Committee Mon
day afternoon to discuss his pro-
gram formally with the key
money group and assist in mea-
surfing the budget for alterations.
Opposes Fund Diversion.
The Governor was not ready,
after only few days in Office,
to spell out in advance of his
meeting with the appropriations
committee exactly what money
changes he would like to see
made in the budget bill. On one
specific matter - the 100000
item for permanent convict road
camps from road funds - he
did make his views knows. He
told press conference he
definitely regarded this as di-
version of road funds and it
should be rightly borne by the
general fund.
At first glance-aside from the
special road fund and the furore
churned up around Stanley'S pro-
posal to fatten it with a one-cent
increase in the gasoline tax-it
appeared that the shift of the
$940, 900 from road fund to gen.
eral fund listing would make it
Just that much harder to find
the necessary money for teacher
salary increases.
While exact costs of the STAN
ley plan-above those contem-
plated in the Battle budget
weren't readily available, the goal
of a $2.400-$3.600 salary scale
isn't being sought Immediately.
The maximum is to be met in
the second year of the new
budget. but the $4,000 starting
pay for certified teachers won't
be reached until the final year
of Stanley's administration.
Cost Scaled Down.
At a result, the cost will be
substantially lower than the ex-
ira $18 million the State Educa-
ton Department said would be
required in the two-year budget
If the plan were put in immed-
lately.
The coming week in the As
senbly may also see some of the
new administrators program
take the form of legislative pro-
posals.
There were no specific advices
on when the explosive gas tax
hike will be introduced.
Spotlight on Gas Tax.
The gasoline tax increase
raising Virginia's State levy
from 6 to Z cents a gallon
stirred up such legislative re-
action that it all but over
Swallowed the fact that the State
had new Governor and that
other parts of his program were
generally well received. Notable
among the things that tn; legis-
latorS liked generally were the
teacher program. more money
for mental patient care and his
call for an end to diversion of
road funds.
Whenever the bill calling for
the gas tax increase hits the
floor, it will follow one already
introduced designed to block it
by law. This was proposed
promptly after Stanley unveiled
the idea in his speech by Dele
gate Maynard Magruder and his
Arlington House colleagues. It
would freeze the gas tax at its
present 6 cents until the present
12-cent Federal levy is reduced
BY at least / cent.