Chap. 14.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 230 of the Tax Code of Vir-
ginia, in relation to special taxes on the properties of certain classes of public
service companies for rate-making and other purposes, and to appropriate the

revenues provided by this act for carrying out the purposes of the same.
| [S. B, 15]

Approved September 7, 1933

Whereas, by the Constitution and by the laws of Virginia the au-
thority to prescribe rates and charges for water, heat, light and power
companies, telephone and telegraph companies, electric railways, motor
vehicle carriers, and the Virginia Pilots’ Association is vested in the
State Corporation Commission of Virginia; and

Whereas, in the discharge of the duties laid upon it, it is necessary
for the said commission to make valuations for rate-making purposes
based upon detailed appraisals of the properties of such public service
companies, the proper making of which appraisals can only be done at
great expense, and the said commission lacks the means necessary to
make such appraisals and finds it desirable to make its own appraisals
in many cases, particularly those in which the only appraisals presented
as evidence are made by agents employed by parties contestant, either
separately or by one party alone, if presented at all; and

Whereas, the public interest demands that such appraisals be made
by agents employed by the said commission; now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That section
two hundred and thirty of the Tax Code of Virginia, relating to special
taxes on the properties of certain classes of public service companies
for rate-making and other purposes, be amended and re-enacted so as
to read as follows: |

Section 230. The special taxes prescribed by this section are hereby
imposed and shall be levied annually upon the subjects of taxation here-
inafter specified. The said taxes shall be in addition to any other taxes
upon the subjects of taxation upon which these taxes are imposed
1933] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 31

which are now or may hereafter be provided for by any statutes or
acts of the General Assembly, any statutory provisions or rule of con-
struction to the contrary notwithstanding.

Corporations doing in Virginia the business of furnishing water,
heat, light or power either by means of electricity or gas shall pay to
the State an additional annual State tax equal to two-tenths of one per
centum of its gross receipts from business done within the State to be
determined in the manner provided for by this chapter.

Each incorporated telegraph company doing business in this State
and owning and operating a telegraph line in this State shall pay to
the State an additional annual State tax equal to two-tenths of one per
centum of the gross receipts of such companies from business done
within this State during the year ending the thirty-first day of De-
cember.

Each incorporated telephone company doing business in this State
and owning and operating a telephone line in this State whose annual
gross receipts from business done within this State are in excess of
fifty thousand dollars, or the number of miles of poles exceeds four
hundred, or a majority of the stock or other property of such company
is owned or controlled by any other telephone company whose annual
receipts exceed fifty thousand dollars, shall pay to the State an annual
State tax equal to two-tenths of one per centum of the gross receipts
of such companies from business done within the State during the year
ending the thirty-first day of December. These taxes shall be deter-
mined as provided for by this chapter.

Each electric railway corporation doing business in this State shall
pay to the State an additional annual State tax equal to two-tenths of
one per centum of its gross receipts from business done within the
State to be determined in the manner provided for by this chapter.

Each motor vehicle carrier doing a business in this State shall pay
to the State an additional annual State tax equal to two-tenths of one
per centum of its gross receipts from business done within the State
to be determined in the same manner provided for in the case of electric
railways by this chapter.

The Virginia Pilots’ Association shall pay to the State an annual
State tax equal to two-tenths of one per centum of the gross receipts
of such association from the business in which such association is en-
gaged, such tax to be assessed and determined by the State Corpora-
tion Commission and collected as State taxes on public utility com-
panies are collected and shall be paid into the treasury of the State as
are other taxes provided for by this section.

The taxes provided for by this act shall be assessed, determined, and
collected as any other State taxes on the same subjects of taxation are
assessed, determined, and collected, and shall be paid into the treasury
of the State as are other taxes of the same kinds, provided, however,
the said taxes paid into the treasury under this act shall be set aside,
as a special fund to be used only by the State Corporation Commission
for the purposes of making appraisals, valuations, investigations and
inspections of the properties or the service or services of such public
service companies, or any of them, whenever the same shall be deemed
necessary by the commission, and for the performance of any and all
other functions of the State Corporation Commission.

All of the taxes hereinafter collected under this act, and all taxes
collected or to be collected for the year nineteen hundred and thirty-
three under the provisions of section two hundred and thirty of the
Tax Code of Virginia prior to or subsequent to this amendment are
hereby appropriated for the purposes of carrying out the provisions
hereof. All payments from the fund herein provided for shall be upon
the order of the State Corporation Commission, attested by its clerk.

2. An emergency existing, this act shall be in force from its passage.

ed