The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-03-21

careful VI pI uuVhI'
The automobile license required
by towns or cities in this state fails
to become operative when the high
way commission goes into effect
Thereby preventing auto owners from
paying a double license, for hereafter
all license money for autos must go
into the highway fund. Towns and
cities can however regulate speed
etc, of autos within the corporate
limits, by ordinance.
Exempts Autos from Taxation
The law eXempts all motor vehicles
in this state from taxation. At the
present time the automobile tax
money goes into the general fund.
The exemption and license highway
law turns the license money, virtu-
ally the taxes on automobiles, into
the highway commission fund. Care
is taken to provide that all contracts
for road work shall be let by COM
petitive bids and new bridges install
led shall be designated by the COM
mission in conformity with the uni
form state highway plans, the expen-
ses attached thereto to be paid joint
| " by the commission and the coun-
| ty in which the bridge is placed.
| Counties are permitted, under the
highway law, to make application to :
the commission for highway improve
ments and bridges and both the COM
mission and county commissioners
will it is believed, work in harmony
to carry out the general statewide
highway scheme.
To Work With Counties.
The highway commission will work
hand in hand with the county COM
missioners of the respective counties
Of the state in improving the high
WAYS. According to the terms of the
bill whenever the board of county
commissioners of any county shall
decide that any main Travelled road
or roads in such county should be
improved or constructed they shall
make a written application to the
state highway engineer. IF the COM
mission is satisfied by Investigation
that the proposed improvement will
h. Ia n
travelled road and that tho county
will be able to meet its proportion
of the cost of the proposed improve
ment the application viii be approv-
ed and the highway engineer instruc-
ted to make the necessary surveys
and follow with the road improve
ments.
For improvements to cost $4,000
or less it shall be discretionary with
the state engineer with the approval
Of the commission to execute the
work of improvement himself or to
allow the county to do the work
without conn ensation, but where the
cost of the proposed improvement
exceeds $4,000 the state highway en-
gineer must advertise for bids for the
work and each bidder must file
certified check equal to per
cent of the amount Of his bid. All
bids are to be received at the COM
missions office in this city, and one
commissioner from the county in
which the improvement is to be
made may be present when the bids
are opened.
Counties receiving highway i'm
provement from the commission are
REQUIRED to refund to the state one
half of the total cost of the work
when the taxable valuation CT such
county is 100000 or less, and
two-thirds, when the taxable valua-
ton of the county is more than So
100000. The state commission can
in no instance contribute more than
$4,000 to the construction Oh any
bridge. In the case Of any neces-
sary bridge, including piers, abut-
ments, wing walls and foundations
for the same. the cost Of which shall
not exceed $1,000. the state shall pay
so percent thereof and where the
cost exceeds $1,000 the state shall
pay so percent of the first $1,000 and
10 percent of each additional dollar
over and above $1,000. Failure on
the part of any county to pay its
proportion of expenses for highway
improvement will warrant the state
treasurer taking the amount due the
state for any other county funds that
may thereafter be paid into
the state treasury by the county or
counties.
Companion Bond Issue.
The companion bond issue passed
by the Legislature creating fund of
100000 for good roads. olks hand