Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-02-26
TAXATION OF AUTOMOBILES.

In opposing graded license tax on auto
mobiles, the proceeds to be devoted to tn
repair and maintenance of public high
ways, the representatives of the Marylan
| Automobile Association have taken pc
sition indefensible in respect to their owl
interest and the interests of the public
They declare that the license tax provide,
in the bill drawn by Col Sherlock Swami
of the commission appointed by Governo
Crothers, would be inequitable and oppres
sive, because it would constitute doubl,
taxation. They allege that automobiles
are already taxed as personal property
and should not be subject to additional
taxation to provide funds for the mainte.
nance of the States highways in good con.
ditiOn. Street railway cars and wagons
are subject to double taxation, as was ex-
planned to the automobiles at the recent
hearing before the Governors commission.
Why should automobiles be GRANTED the
privilege of exemption
Apparently it is not so much the princi-
pie of double taxation to which they OBJ
ject as the amount of the proposed license
fee. DR.. W. M. Rowe, the president of the
Automobile Association. was quoted i'm a
recent interview as saying that automo-
bilists do not object to small license fee
to maintain a license bureau. They do
object, it seems, to license fee, graded
according to the horsepower of automobiles,
to maintain public highways in serviceabe
condition. Automobiles cannot use their
cars to advantage without good roads. 1t
has been demonstrated that automobile
traffic increases the cost of maintaining
public highways in proper condition. The
Swami bill provides for tax which will
conduce materially to the benefit of auto
mobilists. as well as to the public general
ly. The receipts from the license tax will
be devoted to repairing roads. which suffer
more from automobile traffic than from any
other class of vehicle. In this way the
burden of taxation will be distributed with
a greater degree of fairness than at pre-
sent
It is possible that our friends of the Au-
t0mobile Association have not considered
with sufficient care the grounds upon which
the public demand for license tax on au-
is based. Probably they do not
realize that the majority of taxpayers,
who are not automobiles, have had their
burdens increased since the automobile
came into general use. These taxpayers
feel that they have substantial grievance.
The feeling is not restricted to Maryland,
nor even to the United States. Taxpayers in
England are demanding that Automobiles
be required to assume reasonable share
Of the increased expense of road mainte-
nance that the tax on automobiles be
to the damage to public high
ways from the traffic of motor vehicles.
As to the destructiveness of the automo-
bile, so far as damage to roads is consid-
cred, there is convincing proof. A writer
in the National Review, of London, stated
recently that the injury to roads in En-
gland and France is a very serious matter
1T Is common knowledge" he declared,
that in England the cost to the taxpayer
Is increasing every year at an alarming
rate. This cost falls on the county tax
payers, the greater number of whom are
not owners of motOrcars The president
Of the Automobile Touring Club of France,
in letter published in the London Times,
declares that 1.-THE French highways are
Going to ruin owing to the wear and tear
1f auto traffic" He gives the following
Illustration of the damage to highways
from automobile traffic and the increased
cost of road maintenance
six and one-fifth miles of frequented
highways which under horse traffic, lasted
Oh an average six years. cost for that peri
I'd, 100000. The introduction Of motor
traffic reduced the duration of the roads to
two years and increased the cost Of main
tenance to $150.000."
The London Economist has published
recently table showing the increase in
the cost Of maintaining roads in English
since the automobile came into
more general use in England. From 1901
to 1908 the increase in Berkshire was SO
per cent: In East Sussex, 40; in Hamp-
shire, so in Hertfordshire, 35 in Surrey,
IT. The writer in the London National
Review, presenting the conclusions of tax
payers, says that ii is the duty of Parlia-
ment to find some means of insurng that
owners of automobiles shall help the tax
payers to repair roads which the speed
weight and number of cars have done so
much to destroy.
As to the question of inequitableness
and oppression, IL seems the British tax
payer feels that he is the proper subject
for sympathy, that his grievances call for
prompt redress by Parliament. We sug-
eest to the automobile owners Of Maryland
that the public sentiment in this State, as
in England, recognizes the justice Of the
claim that taxpayers who are not auto
mobile owners ought not to be required to
assume the entire burden of repairing pub
lie roads damaged by automobile traffic.
The extent of the damage has been ascer-
tanned definitely in England and France.
as il is probable that it will be determined
in Maryland with equal exactness in due
season. No restrictions upon the use OF
which seemed unjust and OPP
pressive have ever been encouraged. Re-
coenitiOn is given 10 the value OF the au
tOmObile as useful and important addi-
ton TO the facilities for transportation and
travel But in the interest Of AUTOMOBILE
lists and in the interest OF taxpayers gen
orally, we suggest that Maryland aut0mo-
bile OvAJers ought to assume their proper
share Of The expense of maintaining the
public roads Of this State in good cOndi-
ton. The graded license fee provided In
the Swami bill ought to be considered care
fully by the owners of automobiles before |
thew commit themselves to policy Of OPP |
position. The Legislature will determine
whether the amount Of the license tax |
in the Swami bill will be just |
and adequate return for the use Of public |
highways by automObilists. with the result
tant damage to roads and the necessity |
for increased expenditure in road mainte-
nance. Of one thing automobile owners
NAV be sure that is. the Legislature will
undoubtedly be in sympathy with the pub
lie demand that aut0mobilists shall con-
tribute more than they do now for the re-
pair of roads which the automobile traffic
damages TO an appreciable extent.
rs