New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-08
Bill Now Pending Would
Tax Cars on Both Weight
and Horsepower.
ADMINISTRATION is
SUPPORTING MEASURE
Practically Ait Proceeds Are To
Be Devoted to Maintenance
Of Highways.

Horsepower and weight Will be the rae
tors in fixing the taaxtion on motor We
hicles under bill now before the New
Jersey legislature The author OF the
bill purposes TO devote the proceeds. apart
from the maintenance OF the State Motor
Vehicle Department, toward the upkeep
and Improvement OF roads in the state.
The pronosed legislation has the support
of the administration. according to JOB
II. Lippincott. the New Jersey Commits
sionor of Motor Vehicles. OF its proT-
sons he says
The motor vehicle bill now pending be-
fore the Legislature takes into account
in determining the amount OF fee paid for
reCistratiou not only the question or
horse power but OF weight, and deter
mires upon a much more scientific basis
than at present the probable damage
which any given vehicle could do 70 our
roads The amount Of revenue is appor-
toned on such a basis that the small and
cheap car Will not have an undue burden
placed upon its owner; I'm fact, the pres
cnt schedule OF fees charged under this
act will not be greater than the amount
OF the present registration fee, plus the
personal tax.
1T can really be seen that the result
OF this bill, with the elimination of the
automobile from personal taxation. Will
provide large revenue all Of which
will he applied for road purposes. and
will therefore. be distributed much more
satisfactorily than the total revenue now
received from motor vehicles. II has
been n well known fact for some time,
that the grading of fees in accordance
with horsepower did not bring about the
result desired. and the element OF weight
was equally important with the horse
power OF the engine.
II confidently believe that other states
will follow the lead OF New Jersey in this
particular, and that all funds derived
from automobiles will be assessed upon
more scientific basis and applied to the
purposes OF road repair and construc-
ton"
Section I Of the pending law reads:
The applicant shall pay TO the Com
missioner OF Motor Vehicles for each
registration a fee OF 80 cents per horse
power for automobiles for the frs. class
so cents per horsepower for automobiles
OF the second class, 20 cents per horse
power for automobiles OF the third class
cents per horsepower for automobiles
OF the fourth class and 81 per horsepower
for automobiles OF the fifth class
Automobiles Of 22-horsepower or less
and weighing 1900 pounds or less shall h.
Of the first class: automobiles OF %
horsepower or less and Weighing over
200 pounds and less than 800 pounds
shall be Of the second class: automobiles
OF over 22-horsepower and less than &C.
horsepower and weighing 1000 pounds or
less shall be of the third class: automo-
biles OF over 22-horsepower and less than
Ss-horsepower and Weighing over s.ooo
pounds shall be OF the fourth class. all
automobiles OF 36-horsepower or over
shall be OF the fifth class
Automobile commercial trucks shall
pay according to tho above schedule. with
the exception OF automobile commercial
trucks weighing over 1900 pounds, which
Shall pay $40 in addition TO the regular
Fee as above prescribed.
Provided that the applicant FOR regis
tration Of an electric automobile shall paw
nat rate Of SO irrespective OF horse
power or weight. with the exception Of
electric commercial vehicles. which shall
pay an additional fee OF $40 in the event
OF such vehicle weighing over 400
pounds
Provided further. that II application
snail be made for registration Of an su-
tomobile under this section after Sep
temoer l in any year the applicant shall
De required 70 pay but one-haif the regis
uauon hereinbefore provided for in the
class to which such automobile belongs.
ana no fraction OF horsepower shall
change the class to which any automo-
bile under this section shall be classified
as above, and every application shall DO
accompanied with an affidavit showing
weight OF automobile"