The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-11
THE AUTO TAX QUESTION


 
 It is highly commendab1e in the automobilists of the state that so many of those who own expensive absurd proposal to relieve them of more than half their automobile tax es, while adding to what the owners of the cheaper cars have to pay.
 Letters to The Courant
 Take the case of one owning a 1911, twenty-five horse power car, listed on the. town books at $500. The state tax being $12.5o; under the pro posed law it would be $25; the same as a like horsepower car costing or worth $1,5OO Ca great injustice). Former Secretary Phillips proposed that all cars should be taxed accord ing to the cost and age by the state alone, refunding part of the fee to the town. which appeared to be just and equal rating. Better leave the rate as at present than to adopt anythink like the Sherwood bill It seems to me ''The Courant" ad- vocates raising the taxes on a class of people who are now taxed three times-not as a matter of justice, but to get more money out of a man who is supposed to have it-sfmply be- cause he owns an automobile. Is there justice in this attitude? I think not Justice would demand that be- fore the tax is raised on the Iso-callr ed pleasure vehicles, the heavy trucks should pay a higher rate. The trucks which cross our borders, coming from other states and laden with goods, should pay for the use of the high ways which they destroy.
 Would it be asking too much of the horse owners to pay a tax direct to the state Gas has already been sug- gested) for the construction of good roads which are certainly of much benefit to him.
 own a good car. It goes into my l tax list at $3,0oO, which means about | $60 a year town tax. My state tax | is f$19. That means that I pay in all | $79 a year. If the Robinson bill l passes my state tax will be $SS and my town tax will disappear Net re- suit, a saving of $41. or more than half. Why shouldn't I be for this Increased tax ?''
 l I live in small country village, five miles from railroad, either of steam or electric. There are eleven cars Only one of these cars is owned pure ly as pleasure car-this by a veal thy New Yorker. who owns a summer residence here. The other ten are all owned by people in quite moder-, ate circumstances. Of these ten, the costing it's present owner the highest price is new Ford costing less than $500, used by its owner in his busf- ness of selling form machinery in more than half dozen adjoining towns. One car is used by the vil- Iage butcher, whose delivery route touches three towns over a route of some 15 miles. One car is used by the. village grocer, who keeps no horse and uses his car to haul his supplies from the railroad station five miles away. Another is used by the local creamery to deliver butter. One car is owned by a carpenter, who supports his fon1i1y by days work and whose, work frequently takes him back. among the farms five to seven miles from home. Another is owned by a. fertilizer agent to use in his busi-' ness.
 The other four cars are owned by two men who do livery business. Back on the farms the same condi- ton exists. In this section the farm CTS who own automobiles are almost without exception men who live so far from market that the trip with a slow farm horse is long journey. Whatever may be the policy of the state in the future, the present is not the opportune time to present by ex- cessive taxation the rapidly expand ing use of the cheap motor car in developing the business of the state. in places remote from it's large busi- ness Canters.