Chap. 374.—An ACT to raise revenue to provide increased facilities for the valu-
ation of the properties of certain classes of public service companies for rate
making purposes, and for the performance of other functions of the State
corporation commission and to appropriate the revenues provided by this
act for carrving out the purposes of the same. (Ss B 344)

Approved March 20, 1924.

Whereas, by the Constitution and by the laws of Virginia the author-
ity to prescribe rates and charges for water, heat, light and power
companies, telephone and telegraph companies, electric railways and
motor vehicle carriers 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 the
special taxes prescribed by this act bé and they are hereby imposed
and shall be levied annually upon the subjects of taxation hereinafter
specified. The taxes provided for by this act shall be in addition to
any other taxes upon the subjects of taxation upon which these taxes
are imposed which are now or may hereafter be provided for by any
statutes or acts of the general assembly, any statutory provisions or
rule of construction to the contrary notwithstanding.
| That 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 one-tenth of
one per centum of its gross receipts from business done within the State
to be determined in the manner provided for by chapter four hundred
and seventy-two of the acts of assembly for the year nineteen hundred
and sixteen, relating to water, heat, light and power companies.

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 one-tenth of one
per centum of the gross receipts of such companies from business done
within this State during the year ending the thirtieth day of June.

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 exceed 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 one-tenth of one per centum of the gross receipts of
such companies from business done within the State during the year
ending the thirtieth of June.

These taxes to be determined as provided for by chapter one hundred
and fifty of the acts of assembly of Virginia for the year nineteen hun-
dred and ten, relating to the taxation of telegraph and telephone
companies.

Each electric railway corporation doing business in this State shall
pay to the State an additional annual State tax equal to one-tenth of
one per centum of its gross receipts from business done within the State
to be determined in the manner provided for by chapter four hundred
and eighty-five of the acts of assembly of Virginia for the year nineteen
hundred and sixteen.

Each motor vehicle carrier doing a business in this State shall pay
to the State an additional annual State tax equal to one-tenth 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 chapter four hundred and eighty-five of the acts of assembly
of Virginia for the year nineteen hundred and sixteen.

The Virginia pilots’ association shall pay to the State an annual
State tax equal to one-tenth of one per centum of the gross receipts of
such association from the business in which such association is engaged,
such tax to be assessed and determined by the State corporation com-
mission and collected as State taxes on public utility companies are
collected and shall be paid into the treasury of the State as are other
taxes provided for by this act.

The taxes provided for by this act shall be assessed, determined and
collected as 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 by the State corporation commission for
the purpose of making appraisals and valuations of the properties of
such public service companies whenever the same shall be deemed
necessary by the commission and for the performance of other functions
of the State corporation commission.

All of the taxes collected under this act are hereby appropriated
for the purposes of carrying out the provisions hereof. All payments
from .the fund herein provided shall be upon the order of the State
corporation commission, attested by its clerk.

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