Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-09
Kills Effort
To Repeal Poll Tax
Senators Favor
Vote Registrars
For Arlington
BY Stan Correspondent Of The Star


General Assembly.
The Privileges and Elections
Committees of the House and
Senate. meeting separately but
simultaneously, killed two poll
tax repeal measures yesterday.
But bill to reinstate the
voting precinct registrar system
in Arlington County, abolished
by the County Board about two
years ago, cleared its first major
hurdle by receiving unanimous
support by the Senate COM
mittee.
Vote at 10 Dies
| Action was unanimous by the
Senate committee to kill the poll
tax repeater Of Republican State
Senator Ted Dalton. The Dali
ton proposal also would have
lowered the voting age from 81
to 10. President Eisenhower has
expressed interest in lowering
the age to 10.
Also approved by the House
committee is legislation designed
to put an end to the practice Of
the State Corporation Commits
sion accepting free services from
public utilities-such as tele-
phone companies and transport
tation drms-which it regulates.
Steps Taken in 1854
The Washington Star dis
closed. about three years ago.
that trainers of the 1902 consti-
tuition apparently did not intend
that the corporation commission
should receive personal gratui-
ties from the utilities it is sup
posed to regulate. AS result
steps were taken in the 1854
Legislature to end the practice.
The Senate committee killed a
bill by Senator Charles T. Moses
of Appomattox to permit mall
ing absentee ballots by certified
mail instead of registered mail.
Mr.. Moses said use of the recent
Ely established certified mailing
privilege would save more than
80 cents for each voter.
! Repeal Bill Killed
I The House committee. mean
while, killed a bill to repeal the
absentee voter law. The measure
was sponsored by a Republican
Clyde Pearson of Lee County.
Mr.. Pearson said there are many
, abuses of the law in Southwest
Virginia.
The House committee killed q
resolution by Alexandria Dele
gate Thomson to require the
!; designation of candidates on
ballots by political parties.
I Virtually killed-hut not quite
dead. yet-was bill by Airing
ton Delegate William L. Winston
to prohibit the use of campaign
literature and advertisements
that do not bear the name Of
the person or organization re-
sponsible. That measure was
referred to a subcommittee.
! Among other legislation APP
proved by the House committee
was an amendment to the con-
stitution to allow the General
Assembly to exempt personal
property from taxation. Voters
would have the final say on this
Issue in the election in Novem-
Der.
Action Due on Tax Bill
The hearing came UP amid
these other legislative develop
ments:
The Senate was geared for
final passage of the administra-
tons omnibus tax bill which adj
vances the payment date for in
Idividual State income and public
: service corporation levies from
the fall to the spring-a gimmick
to reap $48.5 millions toward a
IS62 million building program.
However, several amendments
, we're repeatedly being readied in
! an effort to soften the impact on
the taxpayer. Similar amend
ments failed in the House.
Gov. Stanley added his in
Idorsement to proposals for sales
tax study. telling his press con-
ference yesterday the levy looks
like the field We'll have to go
into" to obtain new revenue
some time in the future.
Milk Commission
The last of the measures to
curb the powers of the State
: milk commission we're put to
! death in the House Agriculture
i. Committee late yesterday. The
; committee also killed a resolu-
: ton to abolish the agency.
A Joint hearing of the House
| Appropriations and Senate FL
: nance Committees was told last
| night that sorely needed mental
! hygiene clinics at Staunton.
-IDanville and Fredericksburg
would be provided by adding
| $50 900 to the budget for 1868.
, The three communities already
: have raised matching funds to
help set up the clinics, but Gov.
Stanley's budget does not pro.
: vide for the States share.
Aid for Mental Patients
The committees were also
asked to increase the minimum
allowance for care of mental pa
tients from the $285 day pro-
vided in the budget to $685..
A Senate committee approved
a bill by Delegate w. F. Stone
Of Martinsville to pay election
officials $40 day instead of the
present $3.50.
The Compton bill to give AL
bemarle County assistant regis
trars for all voting precincts
was approved yesterday by the
House Privileges and Elections
Committee.
At present the county has a
central registrar who lives III
Charlottesville,