Chap. 352.—A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing amendment to section 170 of
the Constitution of Virginia. [SJ R6]

Signed March 19; 1920.

Resolved by the Senate, the house of delegates concurring (a
majority of the members elected to each house agreeing), That the
following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the
same is hereby, proposed and referred to the general assembly to be
chosen at the next general election of the members of the house of
delegates, for its concurrence, in conformity with the provisions of
section one hundred and ninety-six of article fifteen of said Consti-
tution, namely:

Strike out from the Constitution of Virginia section one hundred
and seventy, which is in the words and figures following:

Sec. 170. The general assembly may levy a tax on incomes in
excess of six hundred dollars per-annum; may levy a license tax
upon any business which cannot be reached by the ad valorem system;
and may impose State franchise taxes, and in imposing a franchise
tax, may, in its discretion, make the same in lieu of taxes upon other
property, in whole or in part, of a transportation, industrial, or
commercial corporation. Whenever a franchise tax shall be imposed
upon a corporation doing business in this State, or whenever all the
capital, however invested, of a corporation chartered under the laws
of this State, shall be taxed, the shares of stock issued by any such
corporation, shall not be further taxed. No city or town shall impose
any tax or assessment upon abutting land owners for street or other
public local improvements, except for making and improving the
walkways upon then existing streets, and improving and paving then
existing alleys, and for either the construction, or for the use of
sewers; and the same when imposed, shall not be in excess of the
peculiar benefits resulting therefrom to such abutting land-owners.
Except in cities and towns, no such taxes or assessments, for local
public improvements shall be imposed on abutting land owners.

And insert in lieu thereof the following:

Sec. 170. The general assembly may levy a tax on incomes in
excess of six hundred dollars per annum; may levy a license tax upon
any business which cannot be reached by the ad valorem system;
and may impose State franchise taxes, and in imposing a franchise
tax, may, in its discretion, make the same in lieu of taxes upon other
property, in whole or in part, of a transportation, industrial, or com-
mercial corporation. Whenever a franchise tax shall be imposed
upon a corporation doing business in this State, or whenever all the
capital, however invested, of a corporation chartered under the laws
of this State, shall be taxed, the shares of stock issued by any such
corporation, shall not be further taxed. No city or town shall impose
any tax or assessment upon abutting land owners for public local
improvements, except for paving streets, curbs, gutters, walkways,
and alleys, and for the construction of sewers, other than main outlets.
and the same, when imposed upon the abutting land owners on each
side thereof, shall not exceed one-fourth of the cost of such local
public improvements. But no taxes or assessments for such local
public improvements other than for making and improving the walk-
ways upon then existing streets, and improving and paving then exist-
ing alleys, and for the construction of sewers, other than main outlets,
shall be imposed on abutting land owners except in such cities and
towns as by a majority of the qualified voters voting shall favor the
adoption by and for such city or town of the policy of levying such
taxes or assessments, at an election in which that question shall be
submitted to the qualified voters thereof by an ordinance duly adopted
by the council or other governing body, and such body may by a
similar ordinance submit to such voters the question of repealing such
policy to be determined by a. majority of the qualified voters
voting at a subsequent election. No tax or assessment for such under-
takings as are mentioned in section one hundred and twenty-seven-b
of this Constitution shall in any case be imposed on abutting land
owners, except in cities and towns and counties having a population
greater than three hundred inhabitants per square mile, as shown by
United States census, no taxes or assessments, for local public im-
provements shall be imposed on abutting land owners.