Page 2-A
Carolina Review
make a decision on whetber
to push for increased
gasoline taxes at least ontQ
the spring - in March or
A PWbs . Brtnt
Hackney, said that the
decWon not to decide was
based on “a number of
sound reasons.” Those
for a period of public
comment and personal time
for the governor to assess
the report
“The governor needs time
to find out for himself what
reaDy needs to be done - he
appointed the Commission
to assist him but he is not
bound by the findmgs of that
Commission,” Hackney
said.
Left unsaid was the fact
that foe governor’s decision
might be based on some
very real political con
siderations. “The
suggestion of a gasoline tax
increase at this time would
be welcomed like a bad
toothache,” said one Hunt
supporter.
Most observers believe
that by waiting, Hunt will
have more time to sell his
gasoline tax proposals to the
public. By spring, the
possibility exists, too, that
the taxpayer’s own
economic picture will have
brightened. And in four
months, Hunt will have had
m time to fool out foe ongoing
budget process in foe 1961
General Assembly.
Os comae, the legislators
Will have had much less
time to bandy about any
aunt pngmselT
Accordtag to Hackney, the
waiting also allows time to
study any other proposals
that might surface -
possibly from the
legislators.
At one time diving the
past campaigi, Lt. Gov.
Jimmy Green suggested
that extra sources of high
way revenue might come
from shifting the sales tax
on automotive accessories
! (batteries, tires, etc.) from
i the genera) fund to foe high
• way fund.
In addition, there are
other proposals that the
money be transferred
directly from the general
fund.
“The governor has an
open mind to that (general
fund highway spending).
But he knows that if you go
into the general fund, then
highways become
‘prioritized’ with education
and social programs,” said
Hackney, “Do you want to
add that into the mix?”
“The truth is,” Hackney
said, “most people assume
the governor has decided in
favor of the tax, but that just
isn’t true. Even in his own
mind, he is not committed.”
No doubt what Hackney
says is true. But most ob
servers feel Hunt’s an
nouncement last week was
just a delay in what even
tually will be his Ad
ministration’s support of a
substantial gasoline tax
increase unless the op
position over foe next four
months is absolutely ex
cruciating.
Certainly the move won’t
be popular in the General
Assembly or anywhere else
for that matter. But then,
Gov. Hunt has in the past
been very successful by
flying against the winds of
acceptable political opinion
and by facing the “tough
»>
cnoices
The speculation for the
increase was started a
couple of yews ago when
Secretary of Transportation
Tom Bradshaw (a Hunt
appointee) stagnated that
his department needed,
maybe from the general
fond, an additional S3B
-for highway
Expenditures for the
7M» plus miles of roads in
North Carolina come only
from motor fuel tax.
. •
revenues, a 1 per cant sales
tax (up to SW) on new can,
driver’s license fees, and
license plate fees for cars
(utgestion was qMrilj
was censing a drastic drop
(currently a $l»-million
shortfall).
Gov. Hunt responded bp
appointing a “Blue Ribbon”
Highway Commission to
»- -v a.a - ■ * _ m
siuay xnt mob of Nora
/*! M » * -» • AX -
niyiwgys id me
future. That Oommiesfon
Report, recently released,
has called for substantial
increases m highway tax
ftmd formulas.
From Bradshaw's meager
s36miflion a couple es years
ago - the Commission has
suggested increases that
would generate qp to and
above SBOO-million -in ad
ditional revenue over the
nest four years.
Opponents of the Com
mission Report suggest that
something has gone astray.
One government source,
who preferred to remain
unidentified, explained what
some feel might have
happened.
Accordmg to him, the
Blue Ribbon Commission,
when it was appointed, “was
strictly a ‘committee of
intimidation.’ It came out in
the early primary season
and had every big wig that’s
ever been around as a
member - including a
former governor to chair it
(Justice Dan Moore). At
that time, Hurt had to
contend with Scott,” the
source said.
“You know when you
appoint a committee like
that, someday they are
going to come hack and
report - then they have to
justify their existence and
show how hard they
worked,” the source sw
mised
Vets Reminded
To Recompute
Yearly Income
The Veterans Ad
ministration has issued its
annual reminder that it’s
time for VA pensioners to
recompute their income for
the year to determine
whether it meets agency
requirements.
The reminders were in foe
form of notices sent with
November pension checks,
according to VA Regional
Director, Kenneth E. Mc-
Donald.
Nationwide, about 630,000
veterans age 72 and older
who receive VA pensions
under laws that were in
effect prior to December 31,
1978, got the notices.
McDonald said this group
of veterans did not elect to
transfer to the new “im
proved” pension plan that
went into operation two
years ago. This plan
provides higher rates of
benefits but also counts
certain income in com
puting pension eligibility
that isn’t considered under
the “old” pension plan.
The fact that they did not
convert their pensions to the
“improved” plan does not
exempt them from foe bask
income limits of the law,
McDonald said.
They must still report any
changes in the number of
status of their dependents
and any income increase
which brings them over the
limit*
They do not, however,
have to report general rate
increases in social security
benefits because VA
automatically records
them.
Pensions are paid to
wartime veterans with non
service connected
disabilities who meet in
come limitations, and to
their eligible widows and
children.
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THE CHOWAN HERALD
Thursday, December 33, 1960