Chap. 78.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 18-a, 19, 19-k, 19-n and 37, of
the charter of the city of Richmond, as the same may have been heretofore

amended. [S B 248]
Approved February 29, 1924. .

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sections
eighteen-a, nineteen, nineteen-k, nineteen-n and thirty-seven, of the
charter of the city of Richmond, as the same may have been heretofore
amended, be and the same are hereby amended and re-enacted so as to
read as follows:

18-a. Appropriations to the extent of ninety-five per centum of the
fairly anticipated revenues for each ensuing year shall be made in lump
sums in the annual budget ordinance for the maintenance and expendi-
ture of each department, and no other appropriation shall be made dur-
ing the current fiscal year unless it be for the payment of some portion
of the city debt or for the repayment of a temporary loan, except by a
three-fourths vote of all the members elected to each. branch of the
council, but nothing herein shall be so construed as to curtail or impair
the powers and authority of the council of the city of Richmond of a
legislative character, under the Constitution, charter of the city of
Richmond, or other statutes of the State of Virginia. ,

19. The council of the city of Richmond shall have power to enact,
suitable ordinances to secure and promote the general welfare of the
inhabitants of the city, by them deemed proper for the safety, health,
peace, good order and morals of the community, and to make and adopt
ordinances and resolutions concerning the control and management of
the fiscal and municipal affairs of the city, and of all property, real and
personal, belonging thereto, deemed proper to secure the selection of
honest and competent officers and to promote efficiency and integrity
in the discharge of official duties, and may, in their discretion, provide
for the establishment and maintenance of an employment bureau, by
the aid of which unemployed persons may secure employment; and no
injunction shall be awarded by any court or Judge to stay the proceed-
ings of the city of Richmond in the prosecution of its works, authorized
to be done under this charter, unless it be manifest that it, its officers,
agents or servants are transcending the authority given it by this charter,
and also that the interposition of a court of equity is necessary to pre-

vent injury that cannot be adequately compensated in damages.

They shall, in addition, likewise have power to make such ordinances,
resolutions and regulations as they may decm desirable and suitable to
carry out the following specified powers, which are hereby vested in
them.

19-k. * To regulate and prescribe the breadth of tires upon the wheels
of wagons, carts, and vehicles of heavy draft upon the streets of said
city, and to limit the speed of street cars and vehicles on the streets, and
to prescribe the motive power that may be used for their propulsion, and
also to prescribe the kind, character, and weight of vehicles that may
be used in parks and on any particular street or streets, and generally to
regulate all travel and traffic on the streets, roads, bridges, walks and
other public places of the city.

19-n. To grant aid to military companies and regiments organized
within the city; to societies or associations for the advancement of ag-
ricultural and the mechanic arts; to scientific, literary and benevolent
societies; provided such societies or associations are located in or near
the city, or, in the case of agricultural societies, shall hold their fairs in
or near the city; and to provide or aid in support of public libraries and
public schools; and the council may, in their discretion, establish a
system of pensions for injured, retired or superannuated city officers
and employees, members of the police and fire departments, public
school officers, public school teachers, and other public school em-
ployees in said city, in such manner as the council may deem desirable,
and to that end may establish a fund for the payment of such pensions,
either by making appropriations out of the treasury of the city, by levy-
ing & special tax for the benefit of such fund, by requiring contributions
payable from ‘time to time from the persons actively engaged in the
occupations hereinbefore enumerated, or by any other mode not pro-
hibited by law. © | re _
37. All money found to be due and payable by the said comptroller
to any person shall be drawn for by said comptroller by warrant on the
treasury, stating the particular fund or appropriation tq which the same
is chargeable and the person to whom payable; and no money shall be
drawn from the treasury except on ‘the warrant, of the comptroller as
aforesaid, countersigned by the collector of city taxes. But the comp-
troller is forbidden to issue his warrant for the payment of any money
in excess of the appropriation on account of which said money is drawn,
provided that between.the commencement, of any fiscal year and the
passage of the arinual appropriation ordinance for such fiscal year, the
comptroller tnay pay salaries in such amounts as shall be fixed in ac-
cordance with law and also pay bills and other charges against the city
of Richmond when the same aré properly approved by the heads of the
respective departments.) = 4° ey
‘2. : The public interest requiring that these amendments to the
charter‘of the city of Richmond should be effective as soon as possible,
an emergency is declared to exist,.and this act shall take effect from its
passage. — eS | ] 7

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