Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-01-01
e Correspondence
state Road Law.

State Road Inv.
AUGUSTA, Dec. %, 1907.
To the Editor Of The American:
/ note with interest the article in your
issue Of Dec % aud the editorial calling
attention to this communication.
desire to correct an error that appears
in the communication, and It is that tie
new State road law makes it compulsory
upon each town in the State to have State
aid. This is not the fact: section OF the
law provides that eacL town must make
some permanent improvement by setting
aside from its regular highway appropris-
tions a definite amount, which Is depend
upon the valuation OF the town, this
amount being so cents per $1,000 OF valua-
alton for towns under 500, 900 Of valuation
and being eight and one-third cents per
81 900 for towns having valuation over
SO, 00O, 200; also calling for varying am
cunts to be set aside for valuations be-
tween these two extremes.
The money thus set aside may be ex-
pended in the permanent improvement OF
any road in the town, unless the provisions
OF section s OF the law are complied with,
when the money must be expended upon
the State road.
Section 5 OF the law provides that il a
town desires State aid it must make
special appropriation equal to 80 per cent.
OF the amount set aside under section 4;
the two amounts that set aside under
section together with that appropriated
under section 5-then constitute the
towns part OF the State road fund. To
this amount the State will then add State
aid in proportions varying as follows:
To towns under 500 of valuation, y for
each dollar set aside and appropriated by
the town. To towns having a valuation
between f1oO, 1000 and s25O, 900, 81 so for each
one dollar set aside and appropriated. To
towns having valuation of $4,000 aud
under $500, 900, sl.25 for each one dollar
set aside and appropriated. To towns
having valuation OF 100000 and less
than $1,000, 900, the State will give 81 of
aid for each one dollar set aside and ap-
propriated. To towns having q valuation
OF over 81 ,OO0, 600, State aid will be 70 cents
for each dollar furnished by the town.
1t will thus be seen that the spirit OF the
law is to help the poorer towns with
larger proportion Of aid than that granted
to the wealthier towns. We recognize the
fact that the law does not allow the poorer
towns to draw as many dollars Of State aid
absolutely as the old law did, but this is a
matter that will undoubtedly be amended
in the next session OF the legislature.
have discussed this matter with good
many citizens Of the State, and have yet
to meet q man who does not believe that
the law should be so amended. A great
many OF the poorer towns in the State
have never taken advantage Of the State
road law, and it is hoped that the liberal
provisions Of the present law will induce
nearly all towns to make start in the
work.
There is one other error which l notice
in your correspondents letter. The town
to which he refers as having made an ex-
penditure the present year of sisi96, and
which in consequence will receive s2i2.50
OF State aid, he says will receive but $50 10
under the new law. As a matter OF fact,
the State aid for this town next year will
be 80, and in order to obtain that amount
OF State aid the town will be required to
make an expenditure OF s27 OF its own
funds; consequently this town will have
Isl to expend on State road next year il it
with the law. OF course. they
may make a larger appropriation on the
part OF the town il they choose to.
These figures refer to the town Of Otis,
and find from the records in this office
that at the last annual town meeting this
town appropriated 500 for State road
work. presume this vote was fair ex-
preston OF the sense OF the voters in re-
lation to what they thought the town
should expend on this work II the mu-
nicipal officers had made the expenditure
of an even 800 as directed by the voters
OF the the town, they would have drawn
$50 OF State aid
In the light OF these facts and figures, it
does not seem rs though the law was
designed to take advantage OF the poorer
towns. As matter OF fact, the bill which
was presented to the legislature, and
which was in the same general form as
the new State road law, provided that the
town OF Otis should provide money and re-
ceive si0s Of State aid, givingit total State
road fund OF 1852. The legislature in its
wisdom SO changed the bill that the law
gives us the results indicated above.
Trusting that you will be able to give
this letter place in your paper, ! beg to
remain,
Your obedient servant,
PAUL d. SARGENT,
State Commissioner of Highways.