The Lincoln times., 1955-04-18
GENERAL ASSEMBLY DolkGS .
Election Laws Taxes Education
Occupy Minds OfNC Legislators

OlluPy WlIHuSS
NOTE: This is the fourteenth
of a series OF weekly summaries
prepared by the legislative staff of
the Institute of Government on
the work of the North Carolina
General Assembly of 1855. 1t is
confined TO discussions of matters
of general interest and major i'm
portance.
1t Is now apparent that this will
be the longest session of the leg
iSlature in more than 20 years.
The number of House introduc-
tions has passed the thousand
mark. but the enrolling office re-
ports that only GIG new laws have
been enacted so far, as compared
with $50 this date two years ago.
The end of the first or second
week in May is still the most COM
monty heard guess as to a possible
adjournment date
ELECTIONS AND ELECTION
LAWS
Senator Henkel OF Iredell. who
halls from the Ninth Congression-
al District. where absentee ballot
irregularities led to a recent con-
oreSSional investigation. has in
troduced a bill which he states will
eliminate a majority of the mis-
uses OF the absentee ballot. An
essential feature of this bill is that
it is designed to keep absentee bal
lots out of the hands of persons
other than county election chair
men and absentee voters. Earlier
in the session the Senate killed
measure to eliminate entirely the
use of absentee ballots by Civilian
voters. One bill introduced by Rep.
Jordan of Buncombe would re-
quire polls using voting machines
to close at 7:30 instead of $50.
Another would shorten the wait
for returns on election nights by
allowing the appointment of pre-
cinct counters and the counting Of
more than one ballot box at a
time. The bill to establish a North
Carolina presidential preference
primary was given at an unfavor-
able report. after Democratic par
ty leaders failed to support it,
TAXES
Tuesday. the House and Senate
Finance Committees again took
straw votes on new taxes, ana
two facts emerged: olD as of now,
both committees definitely oppose
the soft drink tax. % as of now,
the Senate committee favorS the
tobacco tax by about tWo-to-One,
while the House committee opposes
it by a similar margin. Both COM
mitteeS have registered tentative
approval of new taxes which Will
net an estimated $40 million an
nuallv. and the Senate committee
has given tentative approval to the
S8-l , million in additional pro-
poSalS necessary to meet antlcl-
pated appropriations, Friday. Rep.
Nlldll AllciIl VI tllN AAOe'''N
Finance Committee. announced
appointment of a l5-man Subcom-
mittee under Rep. Falls OF Cleve-
land. whose Job it will be to tlnd
additional new taxes which VIII
meet the approval Of the House
committee. The Senate Finance
Committee earlier in the week APP
proved appointment OF a oman
subcommittee to begin writing Its
version of a revenue bill. AT ms
Friday press conference, Cover
nor Hodges expressed the opinion
that either the tobacco tax OF the
soft drink tax would be needed to
Get the necessary revenue. Inc
two committees have given tenta-
tive approval to tax proposals
which would: % place a pct
sales tax on new and used vehicles,
with an $50 limit: - remove the
automobile fleet owners eXemp-
ton: ,3p increase the liquor tax
from 85 pct to 10 pct, "A IN
crease the gross receipts tax on
insurance companies, W IliCltd
insurance AGENTS license fees from
$3.50 to S5 annually: 90 increase
notarieS public and JP appoint
ment fees: - increase the pro-
cess tax by 81 in superior court
costs: 81 levy a 3 pct, gross re-
ceipts tax on hotels and motels;
80 tax cooperatives: tl0) increase
the fortified wine tax from 40 to
80 cents per gallon: 1l change
sales tax administrative rulings;
,l2) levy a 10 pct. luxury tax on
furs, jewelry, luggage, etc; and
13) adopt a State income tax
withholding plan.
APPROPRIATIONS
Chairman Doughton OF the
House Appropriations Committee
expressed hope that the joint ap-
propriations subcommittee would
finish its work by the end of next
week. and report to the full COM
mittee soon after. Wednesday. the
subcommittee voted to cut funds
for printing and binding by 20
pct. and funds for State travel by
10 pct. reduction of more than
half a million dollars. 1t also
adopted a report recommending