The Detroit times., 1915-03-03
Delegation from City
at Lansing Fighting
4 Newell-Smith Bill
ALDERMAN LODGE
is SPOKESMAN
Grand Rapids Joins
: Detroit in Urging
! Killing of Measure

3 LANSING. Mich. March 2.-(Spe-
sisi) --Basing their protest upon the
net that the bill in addition to i'm
,osing tax OF rs cents per horse
Dower and rs cents per 100 pounds
" weight on all automobiles. seeks
% withdraw that class OF property
rom the assessment rolls, thereby
lepriving Wayne county OF the rev.
niue from SIS. 0o0.o0o worth OF per.
,onsl property. Mayor Marx. corpor'
.fiou Counsel Lawson, Alderman
fohn C. Lodge. Attorney Fred A.
saker and County Tax Commission
n cass Benton appeared before the
oint roads and bridges committee
n the house and senate Tuesday
uorning In opposition TO the Newell.
Dmith bill.
Alderman Lodge acted as spokes-
nan for the Detroit delegation,
shich came to Lansing on . special
NJ Monday night.
The chief argument was made
". Corporation Counsel Lawson. who
made an exhaustive analysis OF the
cay In which payment Of road taxes
sRects the city property owner.
The owner OF house and lot
D Detroit Is forced to pay his share
q an assessment for paving the
srcet upon which he lives. said Mr.
.awsou. Then he In required TO
Ny a portion OF the cost OF con-
aructing highways In the rural dts
ricts OF the state: roadways which
70 never sees. never uses and hard
y knows TO exist On top OF that
Ne state. through the medium OF
his bili,. proposes TO step In and
Isprive him OF the revenue from
ls.ooo.o0o worth OF property which
,sretofore has gone toward meet
M share OF this expense. Is this
ustice, BY all means no.
Fl build the roadway which pass
. By my door In addition to that
Is help 10 build the highway which
asses by our door simply because
pou happen TO live beyond the city
units. Do you pay one cent toward
ne construction Of my highway Not
ne. This n unjust on the face OF
1. But when you attempt to re-
uove portion Of the revenue which
las gone toward helping me to con-
fruct my road. you are aiding In
ne commission OF a double abomina-
1on,. declared Mr.. Lawson. There
mt q line In this automobile bill
thich does not work an injustice
b every one OF the 100000 people
b the city Of Detroit"
Attorney Fred A. Baker. repre-
nnting the board Of auditors or
wayne county. called attention to
be fact that the automobiles In
|~he city OF Detroit alone are as
sssed at $4,000. 900 and proposed
h amendment TO section z OF the
Dmith bill. allowing them 10 remain
II the assessment rolls. He called
Htention to the fact that an add.
lonal tar could be imposed as
privilege tax" conditioned on the
Iss OF the highways outside Of De-
rcit. This tar. he said. would be
0mSIar 10 that imposed on liquor
lsalers IN the form Of license fees.
,hts. ne said. constitutes q tar ION
DO conduct Of the business" and in
b sense interferes with the impo-
Dtf0n or collection of an ad valorem
u upon the stock and fixtures own
By the dealer. similar course
houid b pursued In the taxation Of
ntomobilss. he declared.
Csss Benton declared that, in re-
sowing automobiles from the assess
psnt rolls. the bill proposed TO cut
4 the revenue from more than s57.-
10000 worth OF property in the
tate.
most OF the taxes now imposed
~ local In character. Taking au-
cmobiles from the rolls will serve
D Increase the local tax rate and
decrease the state tax rate. al.
~sady the minor portion OF the tax
euation." said Mr.. Benton.
"Ninety-fye per cent OF the ma
hines In Detroit never use roads
ssde by state moneys. yet they pay
3 Ia per cent of the automobile tar
objected m the state. The shift OF
sensys now collected from the taxa.
Ion OF machines would serve to In.
rsase tho state highway fund 24o
81 cent.
"Ths bill also will serve 10 revive
b fee system In most aggravated
I'm. In that no man or men, not
ven the members of this iegisla-
are. will be able to ascertain the
mounts going into the hands OF the
Ate highway department"
Mr.. Benton declared that the roads
I. |, Wayne county had been con-
lyuctsd At cost Of ss.5oo.o0o. The
ponty had paid into the state high
~ fund n tares S<ie,0oo and had
Nvn beck but $4,000 IN rewards.
4. 80" a.