Chap. 382.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 230 of the Tax Code of Virginia,
as heretofore amended, relating to special taxes on certain classes of public
service companies and others for rate-making and other purposes. [H B 316]

Approved April 1, 1940

1. Beit enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tion two hundred and thirty of the Tax Code of Virginia, as heretofore
amended, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 230. The special taxes prescribed by this section are here-
by imposed and shall be levied annually upon the subjects of taxation
hereinafter specified. The said taxes 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.

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 Decem-
ber.

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
determined 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.

All persons, firms, associations and corporations engaged in the
business of operating motor vehicles for the transportation of persons
or property, or both, over fixed routes within the limits of any city or
town within 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 this business done within this State, to be determined in the
manner provided for in 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
engaged, such tax to be assessed and determined by the State Cor-
poration Commission 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 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,
that the State Corporation Commission be, and it hereby is, authorized,
empowered, and directed, in the performance of its function and duty
in assessing and levying the special taxes provided for by section two
hundred and thirty of the Tax Code of Virginia, as from time to time
amended, to omit the assessment and levy of said special taxes, or to
assess and levy any portion of said special taxes, or to assess and levy
all of said special taxes, not exceeding in any case the amount of two-
tenths of one per centum as prescribed by this law, for the tax year
nineteen hundred and forty and thereafter, as shall appear to be, in the
discretion of the Commission, needed for the accomplishment of the
objects for which the said special taxes were imposed and the said
special fund provided for, including a reasonable margin in the nature
of a reserve fund, and that the persons and corporations upon whom
and which such special taxes have been imposed by this law be, and
they hereby are, relieved from liability for the payment of said special
taxes, except, unless, and until, when, and to the extent that, same have
been assessed and levied by the State Corporation Commission, in
pursuance of the authority, power and direction of this proviso to
this act, provided, further, 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 purpose of making
appraisals, valuations, investigations and inspections of the properties
or the service or services of such public service companies, or any of
them, and for the supervision of, and administration of all laws, here-
tofore or hereafter enacted, relative to, such public service companies,
or any of them, whenever the same shall be deemed necessary by the
Commission.

All of the taxes hereafter collected under this act, and all taxes
heretofore collected or to be collected under section two hundred and
thirty of the Tax Code of Virginia, as from time to time same has
been amended, are hereby appropriated for the purposes of carrying
out the provisions hereof. All payments from the fund herein pro-
vided for shall be upon the order of the State Corporation Commission,
attested by its clerk.