The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-04-07
BY EULA N. GREENWOOD

Although hearings on tax bills
have been in progress only a little
over a week-and still have about
three weeks to go-certain shapes
are already developing.
Sanford Sacrifice
One of these is that the people
viii not have an opportunity to I'M
do or redo action taken by the
General Assembly. You will re-
call that Gov. Terry Sanford, in
his important revenue message on
March 6 recommending the broad
base tax on food to support our
broad-base educational program,
recommended that his program be
carried to the voters for perman-
ence after it had been adopted by
the legislature.
AS of last week, even the more
avid Sanford apostles wanted none
of this doctrine. Consensus among
the members is that their power
comes fresh from the people-and
they do not want to run the risk of
getting a slap in the face. Which
could mean later a slap at the
polls.
So, in order to keep his big ship
afloat, it looks as if this is a bit
of ballast the captain must sacri-
flee. This will not be all he must
forego, but is an important item.
Getting The Votes
The feeling here this past week
end was that the Governor has as
of right now enough votes in the
85-member Joint Finance Commit
tee to take it to the floor with solid
majoriy support.
There are approximately a dozen
various tax packages now before
the Joint Finance Committee. Each
of them has a following, of course,
but the Sanford Plan-as of last
weekend-seemed to have majority
strength. That is, it seemed to
have as many followers, and lit
tie better, as all the others COM
bined.
Moreover, the subcommittee Ito
make the recommendations as to
the tax pan to follow will lean
heavily to Sanford. Also, the Gov
ernor is being urged to go on the
air again in a Statewide program
for his CI'usade-and is said to be
seriously considering doing so.
Then To Congress?
One of the grandest persons in
the Legislature this year is serving
his eighth regular term in the
House. Thus at the tender age of
so he finds himself one of the
read veterans.
A Lincolnesque type of person,
quiet and modest Clifton Blue of
Aberdeen may be your next Speak
er of the House. AS of last week he
was the mostly likely candidate
for the position. He has surprising
ly large following among old and
new House members. He's a side
kick of Sanford.
This Moore Cunty publisher is
a former president of State YDC's,
was an ardent Addison Hewlett |
supporter before and after Hewlett
became Speaker and ran unsuccess-
fully for the U. S. Senate.
Sober, solid, and sincere, Blue
could use the Speaker post as a
springboard as candidate for Con-
gress in the Turbulent Eight Dis
trict.
That's Money!
One of the speakers most in de-
mand around Raleigh these days
is, appropriately enough, Speaker
of the House Joseph Marvin Hunt,
Jr., of Greensboro.
He's nobody's orator, no spell
binder-but he talks with down.
to-earth drag that you know is
Right. There's no bull there; and
you thus believe what he says.
Speaking at a big annual meet
ing of MONA National Office
Association) here the
other evening, Speaker Joe said
that members like to come again
and again to the Legislature main
ly for the friends they make. This,
he pointed out, has equal import
ance with that feeling of being one
OF the cogs in the wheels of State |
There is for a fact
great and deep comradeship among
members of the N. C. General As
Incidentally, Speaker Hunt esti-
mates that he has spent out of his .
private pocket $4,000 more than
he has been paid by the State for
he four terms he has served in the
y