CHAP. 24.—An ACT to amend section 5 of the charter of the town of
Falls Church, in the counties of Fairfax and Alexandria. 3
(S. B. 29.)

Approved February 5, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
an act approved March thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sev-
enty-five entitled an act to incorporate the town of Falls Church,
in the counties of Fairfax and Alexandria, as amended by an
act approved February twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and
seventy-nine, entitled an act to amend and re-enact the third,
fourth, fifth and sixth sections of an act to incorporate the town
of Falls Church, in the counties of Fairfax and Alexandria, ap-
proved March thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, and
as further amended by an act to amend section seven, chapter
three hundred and sixteen of the acts of assembly, session of
eighteen hundred and seventy-four and eighteen hundred and
seventy-five, entitled an act to incorporate the town of Falls
Church, in the counties of Fairfax and Alexandria, and as fur-
ther amended by an act approved March second, eighteen hun-
dred and ninety-four, and as further amended by an act ap-
proved March thirteenth, nineteen hundred and fourteen, be,
and the same is hereby amended as follows: All of section five
of said act shall be amended and re-enacted to read as follows:

Section 5. The council shall annually, levy, assess and col-
lect necessary taxes for roads, streets, schools and corporation
purposes, on all property within the corporation, which tax for
all purposes, including schools, on any property, shail not ex-
ceed eighty cents on one hundred dollars, except that on a peti-
tion of two-thirds of the resident tax payers within the corpo-
ration the council may levy a corporation tax not to exceed the
amount named in the petition. And except further, that the
town council whenever requested by the board of school trustees
of the town, shall annually levy an additional tax of ten cents
on the one hundred dollars, to enable the said board to establish
and maintain a. high school course in the public school of said
own. ,

No debt whatsoever shall be created which would be beyond
the ability of the council to pay within one year, from its ordi-
nary or special revenue or resources except in the following
manner, viz.:

First: There shall be presented to the town council a peti-
tion signed by at least one-fourth of the bona fide resident free-
holders of the town of Falls Church, male or female, twenty-
one years of age or over, which petition shall request the council
that a special election be held to determine whether such indebt-
edness shall be created.

Second: Upon receipt of such petition the town council shall
order a special election, to be held within thirty days, to deter-
mine whether such indebtedness shall be created, and at least
ten days’ notice of such election shall be given by the council,
- and the purpose and the amount of said proposed indebtedness
shall be stated in said notice, at which special election only the
bona fide resident freeholders, twenty-one years of age or over,
male or female, shall be entitled to vote and at least two-thirds
of those voting, and not less than one-fourth of the total num-
ber of such freeholders, shall vote in favor of such indebtedness,
and in that event the town council shall, within thirty days, pro-
ceed in the manner prescribed by section one thousand and
thirty-eight-E of the Code of Virginia, nineteen hundred and
four, entitled “holding elections in towns for the puropse of de-
ciding upon the question of bond issue,” and acts amendatory
thereto. ,

No district, school or road tax shall be assessed upon the
property within the corporation, except by the counci thereof.

2. It appearing that an emergency exists, it is ordered that
this act shall be in force from and after its passage.