The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-27
NEED NO STAMPS FOR
AUTOMOBILE LICENSE
Federal Tax Does Not Apply in
This state. 1t Is
Ruled.
OUTSIDERS PAY IN JERSEY

A great many automobiles and indeed
State officials had an idea that the Fed
eral war tax required the affxlng OF reve-
nue. stamps to applications FOR automobile
licenses as well as the registration cards
themselves. As soon as the tax went into
effect the Secretary OF States automobile
department here began requiring stamps.
but later on. when this was called to the
attention Of the Secretary OF State. both as
regards the office here and in Buffalo, he
made the announcement that It was not
necessary that these certificates should be
So stamped.
Secretary Of state Francis NJ. Hugo ex-
plains that the Federal authorities had
! originally ruled that all license certificates
should bear emergency revenue stamps to
| be furnished by the applicants. Secretary
/ Hugo, however. convinced the Washington
officials that these papers should I've ex-
empt because they were In the nature OF
| official receipts and constituted merely a
! license which ,he Secretary OF state is
| obliged to issue.
The matter OF Internal war revenue
stamps was Of Importance to the Secretary
OF States office as well as 20 the owners
! because great amount OF WORK was re-
| CURED to return the stamps, which were
sent along with post Office money orders
and checks. These stamps are not return
| able to the Government and therefore In
each case they might well involve loss
| To the individual who sent them. Further
| more Il Involved hardship to the rural
| motorist. who usually had to send some
distance In order TO get these stamps which
| the Federal authorities had originally adj
| v'sCd to he necessary
There was a great deal OF trouble Of this
| Kind for instance in Ohio, which serves to
! show that IL was not alone this state
which had bothered about II. The State au-
! thorlties there demanded that Il 10 cent
/ revenue stamp h" enclosed with each ap-
/ plication for a license, but the Ohio State
| Automobile Association got a decision from
the Revenue Commissioner by which au-
| tomobilc licenses did not have TO hiv.
| them In spite Of this, the department
continued To- demand the stamps. and II
took strenuous action to get the state De-
par'ment To agree to stop this.
For a time the department ia New
| Jersey considered II was necessary to have
! 10 cent stamp on the application and
! also one on the registration card. This
I is no longer done. but foreign" motorists
! registering in New Jersey. who must
/ by Law give the Commissioner Of Motor
i Vehicles power OF attorney to accept
service for them. must aiix q % cent
power OF attorney stamp to such license
/ when issued This also applies In the
state Of Pennsylvania. so tlrat II may be
seen that motorists 80 not go entirely free
| Of the war revenue.
! Secretary OF state Hugo has announced
| that all nnc moneys collected for viola.
lions OF local ordinances regulating tn:
| use Of motor vehicles IN cities OF tn,
first class should he turned over 10 Tho
! state Treasurer. This will mean u DIFF
ference OF about S25O.OOO to the stat,
Treasury. inc secretarys announce
I ment followed an opinion rendered log
I Attorney General Woodbury.. who helC
that the position taken by the city q
Buffalo I'm refusing to turn over the fnel
collected for violations Of the city ord
nance was contrary 10 the motor vehi i,
Jaw.
Tho Corporation Counsel OF tho city O
Buffalo has contended that these money
belong to the CITY in View Of a provision
IN the motor vehicle Law which permit
cities OF the first class to regulate botl
tho speed and traffic movement OF motto
vehicles, a privilege denied to other local.
tics He conceded that penalties coliecte,
FOR violations ~ the state law. such "a
failure To obtain a license. g., belongc
to the state
However. the state authorities nov
, hold that although cities nf tho frs
/ class are unrestricted IN their power
OF preserving safety upon public high
ways within their precincts and may de
termine the penalty TO be impose "a
violation thereof. nevertheless theae fin
moucys were intended to go to the centrS
government for the maintenance and re
, pair OF highways. thus indirectly benz
fling these communities with all othe
q portions Of the State.
Tho effect Of This OniuiON will ur
: doubtedly be that thousands OF dollar
J collected from motorists convicted for vic
. lat.ons Of the traff'c ordinances IN Ne
i York. Buffalo and Rochester In the pas
Pc four and half years will revert to IN
state In the city Of Buffalo more tina
D Sl5. 900 has ber1 retained. and only $500
l. was collected last year by the Treasure
= throughout the state. In the same pcrio
% Massachusetts, collected $4,000