Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-03-10
HOW TO FINANCE STATE ROADS.
Way Pointed Out Whereby II Can Be
Done Without HIGHER Taxes.


Done Without Higher Taxes.
Editor OF The Londonderry Sitter:
have noted from time to time the OPP
position expressed by The Sitter to the
building OF a system OF trunk line high
ways by the state of Vermont but il
seems to me that the objections of The
Sitter have been at least partially due to a
misconception of the plan as originally
proposed and as since advocated by some
at least Of those who have borne part in
the discussion. With your kind permits
sion | would like to present plan which
| believe docs away With most OF the OBJ
jections you have listed and plan which
/ am convinced is feasible and desirable
The bill before the legislature OF 1908
provided for the construction OF about
500 miles OF main line highways, includ-
ing two roads the length Of the state and
six cross state lines. Even this limited
system would include part OF the roads
in some 1870 or over one-half OF the towns
ia Vermont and an average OF about six
miles in each of these 1870 towns. 1t
could thus hardly be said in fairness that
it was a scheme to favor a few towns at
the expense OF the majority as has been
charged.
/ IL this case however as IN all others,
discussion OF the matter brings sugges-
tions OF Improvement and it is agreed by
most OF those who have given time and
thought to the matter that state system
4 of roads should include considerably
more than the 500 miles originally pro
posed. 10 fact ii is already definitely
+ planned by some OF those interested to
+ present TO the legislature OF 1910 bill
calling for the building OF about 800
miles OF the state roads with the proyiso
that as fast as they are built they shalt
become the property OF the state and the
State must thereafter maintain them, thus
relieving the towns OF a part OF their bur
den and at the same time enabling the
state to control the property IN which 1t
has invested its money.
Such a system OF 1900 miles OF state
roads would pass through approximately
2l5 OF the 2l6 towns n be state, while
in most instances the towns not touched
would be directly benefited through hav-
ing part OF these roads forming a link
between them aud their market towns.
To make up the total OF 1900 miles
there would be added to the 500 miles
suggested ia the bill OF two years ago the
principal county roads in each OF the sew
eral counties of the state, connecting be
chief market towns with their principal
tributary villages, as, for instance, a line
down the West River valley from Ion
donderry with the trunk line across the
north part OF the tosn Of Londonderry
with the trunk line across the state from
Manchester TO Springfield. This is but a
n
there would be these main county roads
and connecting links, bringing the total
up to about 1000 miles that I think
should be included in a state system Of
road building
Now J am very much in favor OF the
state rebuilding these /, 800 miles OF road
and maintaining them as a state system
and ] believe it can be done without
bonding the state. | am unuualinedly
opposed to bonding the state except in
case Of dire necessity and 1 do not think
that the necessity exists ia this case.
The roads can be built at the rate OF 100
miles year without bonding.
TO finance such system OF state roads
during The next few years ii is chiefly
necessary to devote the natural increase
in the income OF the state TO the purposes
OF road building instead OF blowing the
money for less important things.
Few people realize it but II is fact
that the income OF the state OF Vermont
is increasing at the rate OF more than
fifty thousand dollars year In 1895
the gross income OF the state was S470,-
5s7. In 1908, fourteen years later and
the latest year of which a report is availa-
BILE, the gross income was Sl,195, $50
This increase means that the state has
practically S725,000 more to spend year
now thal il had fourteen years ago.
This increase in state income continues
right along. The tax on savings bank
deposits this year will be $50, 900 more
than two years ago aud 1900. 900 more
than 1902. Don't think this money will
be LETT in the state treasury for It won't.
II is bound to be spent but the state
can have it spent in building a state sys-
TEN Of main roads IL the voters of the
state will send men To Montpelier next
fall pledged to that purpose.
So far / have dealt only with the natur-
al increase in state income but it is posi-
bic to do better than that. The state Is
already appropriating $4,000 a year all
OF which practically goes into work on
those roads which would be included in
state system. Surely $50, 900 OF the
5000 appropriation could be added to
the trunk line fund without Injustice.
All this. remember, does not take a
penny OF income away from any town. I
In figuring the state income above have
not included The state highway tax which
the state collects and pays back to the
towns. ] would not favor taking this
money for state roads for the towns need
it to put into their other roads. except
perhaps when the state built a stretch of
several miles of state road through a town
it might be thought best to use that
towns state money toward it for that
year only. No town would object to
that.
Let us look little further in the direc-
ton OF ways and means. In reading the
last biennial report OF the state auditor /
lind that for the two years ending july.
1908, the state spent a good deal OF
money in special appropriations. Some
OF the larger Of these appropriations are
as follows:
Storage vault and gliding dome ss.e45
Morrill, ball IA ooo
jamestown exposition 10 non