Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-18
WANTS ENTIRE AUTO TAX
FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE
Highway Commissioner Coleman
Points Out Urgent Need
for More Funds,
TO APPEAL TO LEGISLATURE
General Assembly Will Be Asked to
oegregate Tax on Motors and to
Facilitate Employment OF Prison.
ers In Road Work.

Progress with public highway i'm
proTemcnts In Virginia Is being i'm
peued by lack OF sufficient funds for tbe
maintenance OF roads already con-
struc'ed. as well MS by the difficulties
with which the State Highway Con-.
mission has to contend in securin q
prisoners from the city and county
Jails OF the State to recruit the road
building and repairing forces
Ihese are tho principal reasons given
oy good roads advocates and confirmed
by state Highway Commissioner Cole
man and other officials of the denart-
ment yesterday. To meet tho demands
or the situation relief measure will
be presented to the next General As
sembly. One of the main features OF
the Dill VIII be a provision placing tho
iund derived from automobile taxes at
the disposal OF the Highway Commis
sion, to be expended under the sole d.
rection OF that body for the mainte-
nance Of roads already built.
ROAD AUTHORIZATIONS
MADE ny LEGISI.ATURf =,
The appropriations made by the Leg
lsiature for road purposes for 1871
were as follows: For maintenance OF
| convict road forces. $4,000: State
money aid. direct appropriation. $780,
! 90; automobile tax for 1914. $4,000:
TOT engineering supervision and OIL CO
expenses. @26.50o. The total appropria-
ton from all sources is $472,6oO. with
jail foes added. fees allowed for keep
ing and supporting prisoners, which
arc paid out OF the regular appropria-
ton for criminal expenses.
The recommendations of Commits
sioner Coleman, on which the bill to
be offered In the next Legislature will
be drawn. are: First. creation of n fund
TO be used solely for the maintenance
/ or roads already constructed; second
establishment of n division in the State
| Highway Commission whose entire
time shall be given to the proper ex-
pend!turc OF this maintenance fund
! The commissioner suggests creating
the maintenance fund By transferring
/ TO the commission exclusively the auto
mobile tax. He estimates that this tax
VIII amount in 1915 to $4,000. 1t is
! increasing annually. and no believes
that the Increase Will keep pace with
the construction OF new roads by the
convict forces, which must be looked
after from the time they are first built
! Construction and maintenance of roads
also involve construction and maintc-
nance OF bridges.
AUTO TAX NEEDED
FOR MAINTENANCE ALONE
AS the law now stands, the counties
receiving n share OF the automobile tax
! fund are required TO put up an equal
|
pended by the State in road and bridge
| construction. Commissioner Coleman
says the money Is needed for mainte-
! nance alone.
| 1t is no secret that the State High
way Commission IS handicapped to n
material extent In It's effort TO obtain
labor for public road work by county
shcr!fs and city scrgcants, who arc
reluctant to surrender the prisoners In
the jails whose keep Is source Of rev.
! enue to them. While the law pre-
scribes that Jail prisoners may be
drafted for work with the convict road
forces when needed. there are ways OF
! frustrating the efforts OF the commits
sion with which the jail officials are
| familiar.
| The provision that gives the city OF
county first call on the labor OF jail
prisoners Is a beneflcent one to the
sheriffs and sergeants. When the com
mission calls for prisoners for the
roads In counties where work is needed
It Is only necessary for the sheriff
| or sergeant to show that the prisoners
are needed for local road improve
| ments.
SHERIFFs DEFEAT EFFORTS
TO OBTAIN PRISONERS
1--WE know that certain jails are filled
| with idle prisoners, who are an expense
to the public and a profit only TO the
sheriffs or sergeants," said Commits
sioner Coleman yesterday, hut wher
we make a draft on these jails we are
defeated by some ruse in our efforts
to get the prisoners" He cited sew
| eral instances. Until the law is
| changed he said. there can be nc
remedy for the rapaciousness Of GER
tain sherifs and city sergeants.
Strong public sentiment and the &C.
tive support of good roads advocates
in all parts of the State, however. will
enable the State Highway Commission
| to secure the needed legislation at the
| hands Of the next General Assembly, II
| is believed, in spite OF the opposition
| Of these public officers, whose concern
| is greater for their private profit than
| for the public veal.