Evening star., 1960-03-13

,. RICHMOND, Va, Mar. IL
(AP).-The 1860 General AS
sembly which ends today left
political divisions probably
more important than those
carried over from the 1859
special session.
There is an election for gov
,ernor in 1861.
:, The fight in the 1860 As
sembly, over taxes and spend
ing, began shaping up when
Gov. Almond informed the
legislators last December that
he was proposing a 8 per cent
retail saleS-use tax to finance
what he considered the States
needs. The rift in Democratic
ranks widened when he pro-
posed a budget of record pro-
portions, containing close to
q half billion dollars in gen.
;eral fund appropriations, or an
increase of about % per cent.
In the 1859 session, which
saw the end of massive resist
.ance to school integratien and
the beginning of a program for
'containment, there was a split
in Democratic ranks. Almond
forces won by a close margin.
Almond forces won again in
1860, also by a close margin,
and the Governors opponents
differed little from the group
which fought his school pro-
gram in 1853. The end situa-
tion. however. is quite differ
ent:.
Spending Issue Offered
Opponents of the school pro-
gram have had little to offer,
or have offered little, as a
substitute.
But they could make a ma
jor political issue of taxes and
spending in next years pri-
mary for Governor. Will they?
That's a question which was
being asked in Legislature cor
ridors as the 1860 session
neared the end.
The question hasn't been an
swered. At present there are
no announced candidates for
the Democratic nomination for
Governor.
Two possible candidates are
Senator Harry F. Byrd, jr., of
Winchester, and House Speaker
E. Blackburn Moore. Others
include 1t. Gov. A. E. S. Steph-
ems, and Attorney General Al
bertiS Harrison.
Senator Byrd and Speaker
Moore were among the critics
of the Almond fiscal PROGRAM
OF 1860. On at least one occa-
sion the Governor called them
by name in saying if his oppo-
nentS wanted to play it
rough" he was willing-for the
present and for the years to
come. Was he thinking of 1861?
Battle Left Scars
The fight over the Almond
program dominated the Assem-
bly, from start to finish. The
senate finance committee killed
his 3 per cent sales tax early
IN the session. The house f.
nance committee did the same,
then killed a 2 per cent alter
nate offered and also the 8 per
cent sales tax of Delegate Sam
Pope of Southampton.
There were pleasantries
aplenty as the Assembly ap-
preached adjournment tonight,
but the scars left by the bitter
fight are of the type which do
not fade with pleasantries.
. There were many differences
among the assemblymen--over
annexation laws, billboards
along interstate highways and
scores of other things. These
are more or less forgotten until
the next assembly. They
usually do not make major
political issues. Taxes and ap-
propriations could be some
thing else.
Important measures passed
Included:
legislation prohibiting COM
mercial signs and billboards
within $50 feet Of interstate
highways in Virginia with few
exceptions.
Exceptions are those on land
for business and industry and
within $50 feet of such land;
those inside city limits; and
those on land zoned for busi-
ness and industrial use. Direc-
tional and international signs
are limited and subject to ap-
proval by the highway depart
ment.
, A bill requiring persons in the
is to 10 year age groups to
validate their automobile driver
licenses annually instead of ev-
cry three years.
Increasing by so per cent the
rate for rent of oyster grounds,
with leases in effect excepted.
As leases expire the rate will
be rs cents an acre per year
IN Chesapeake Bay and $3.50
an acre per year in rivers and
streams.
Creating a State Educa-
ton Assistance Authority to
guarantee loans by banks to
students in institutions of high
er learning. Loans totaling