Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-03-11

r AAA ~NAASAOAA w SeA0 AAA~A VSso0 "a 0sVV
mills In general taxation the new road
law requires all road taxes levied by
the townships to be paid in cash In.
stead of being worked out. THESE
TOWNSHIP LEVIES FOR ROAD
PURPOSES AMOUNTED TO NO
LESS THAN $33,s73. (See table else
where). This will account for the in
crease in taxation outside of taxes
for schools or special purposes which
will vary in the different districts &C.
cording to local demands.
To get back to the county board, it
will be noticed that an exceptionally
heavy road and bridge fund was lev.
led last year. In spite of the de-
crease of taxes in other funds the ad-
ditional funds levied for the road and
bridge fund brings the total county
taxes to about one-fifth of a mill
above what they were the previous
year. This fund was increased from
one mill to 100 mills. This increase
was brought about by several differ
ent causes. First, the road and bridge
fund has been overdrawn about $4,000
to meet the demands of the different
towns and this amount must be re-
placed in the revenue fund from
which it was loaned. Another cause
was the new law which places the
maintenance Of all bridges costing
more than $1,000 onto the county
Then again, in order to secure the
| $4,000 allotted from the State Road
fund the county was obliged to levy
$6,857.0O for the State roads in the
county. The state fund contributes
70 per cent and the county 30 pei
cent. There are five townships in
the County (East and West Lake Lii
liam, Colfax, Irving and Harrison)
that have no State roads and the
County Board felt that in justice tc
these towns they should receive ap
preparations from the county road
and bridge fund to somewhat equal
ize the advantage secured by State
road towns. That in brief accounts
for the increase in the road taxes
We don't believe the commissioners
should be criticised for rising to the
occasion and doing their share to
wards the big movement for road
improvement. They are body Of
conservative men who carefully con
sidered the matter in all it's phases
and did not take snap judgment. Al
a result of the levies made last veal
the following amounts will be availa
BILE for road work in the county thi:
year.
State roads ........ .$22,857
County roads ....... 10,145
| Township roads ..... 33,973
$66,s75
OF the State road money one-fiftl
is reserved for maintenance. Thu
new law is strict in this respect. No
only must such portions that hav'
been graded be maintained in goo,
shape but all portions of such road
must be kept passable at all times.
In addition to the above amount
there is the one-mill road dragging
tax in each township, which will
very largely contribute to the main
>tenance of all the roads. The expe1
fence in those towns in which tn
roads we're dragged last year ha
been very satisfactory. More an
more farmers are becoming cor
WINGED that money paid for bette
roads are a good investment rattle
than useless burden. There has BEEF
much friction and jealousy as to .wh
should secure the first benefits of tn
improved roads, but this could no
be avoided. The problem will be t.
have the money most effectively ar
piled. Lack of competing contract
OTIS and lack of experience in award
ing contracts will be difficulties t.
overcome. But at the gait set nov
it ought not to take long before on
will be able to travel about Kandiyc
hi county without getting stuck il
mud-holes or circling sloughs.
Whatever view one takes of tn
} good roads question, however, it i
J to that movement to which the ir
crease of general taxation should b
} ascribed, and we hope these lines vii
assist in clearing up the matte
somewhat in the public mind.