Jack Spain, Jr. Records on the Virginia Commission on Constitutional Revision Local Government Committee

This collection of 10 archival boxes (2 cubic ft.) of papers related to the Local Government Subcommittee of the Commission on Constitution Revision (1966-1971) was donated to the Law Library in September of 2021 by Jack Spain, counsel to the Local Government Committees of the General Assembly. The papers were received in 5 oversized boxes that were very well organized. The archives maintained the exact organization.

Members of the Local Government Committee were UVA Law Dean Hardy C. Dillard, Judge Albert Bryan, Jr. and Jack Spain who served as counsel to the committee. They also have “several bright law students who helped on research.” Those were Michaela (Micki) Regan, research assistant to Mr. Spain; Kent Millikan; Richard (Dick) W. Hogan), UVA Law ’69; Raymond B. Pinchbeck; Dan Winterbotton, Jr., and Laurence D. Beck. Mr. Spain describes the process of the committee: “The study Commission started its process with public hearings, then would meet generally at the Board Head Inn in Charlottesville. The full commission would meet – maybe once a month, and the committees in between. – We exchanged written memoranda among the members, and each committee would make a report in writing before each commission meeting.” [See memo from Jack Spain to Randi Flaherty, September 17, 2021].

The Local Government Subcommittee studied population, valuation in towns and cities, revenue, taxes, local authorities, local debt, local legislation and local autonomy, special legislation, statutory authority, limitations, annexation of territory, rights of utilities, liability of counties, air-rights, planning districts, metropolitan government, powers of Commission on local government, etc.

In addition to the Local Government files there is memoranda and documents from other committees of the Commission for Constitutional Revision, the Hahn Report, public views documents and printed materials.