Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-04
SPROUL DECLARES
IDEAS ON HIGHWAYS
Suggests Revocation of Act Max
ing Personal Property Tax
able by Counties Only
B NJ

Senator w. c. Sproul, of Delaware,
has been giving the subject of State
Highways much thought, more espe-
cially along the lines of providing the
revenues necessary to carry on the
work of highway maintenance and
improvement.
Il have not had an opportunity to
get the views of the Governor on road
legislation said Senator Sproul. 81
have some thoughts of my own on the
subject, but so far they are Just
thoughts. In my opinion one of the
first things to be determined is where
the money is to come from since the
road bond issue of S50,000,000 has
been defeated.
There has been some discussion of
placing a tax of a cent a gallon on
gasoline. This would raise consider
able revenue, but / doubt whether it
will be necessary to do this. l am
strongly of the opinion that it was a
mistake to pass the law in 1918 giving
all of the money derived from the per-
sonal property tax to the counties.
This has not resulted in the reduc-
ton of taxes in any county and the
collections have not been made so
closely as they were when the State
had charge.
Il have been thinking it would be
well to repeal this law and go back
to the old system. The money might
be divided three-fifths to the coun-
ties and two-fifths to the State. but
probably a better plan would be to
make the division even. In 1913 the
personal property tax collections
amounted to $5.7S1, ,54I.OS. If the
State were to get half of this, it
would amount to upwards OF $4,000
600 year, and would in a great
measure solve the problem of making
up the revenues we are now losing be-
cause of the depression.
Another way the State could save
money would be in changing the law
which now requires the common
wealth to pay the expenses of the pri-
mary elections. We are appropriat-
ing about $1,000, 900 for this. l have
been thinking the cost of the primar-
| les should be borne by the counties.
If this is done we will have 81 600, 900
available for other purposes. This
and the change made in the personal
property tax would practically solve
the question of revenues, and give the
commonwealth plenty of money to
take care of the necessary things"
Senator Sproul was reminded that
there has been some talk of the prob
ability of changing the law so that a
commission or three would Supplant
the high commissioner. 81 am not in
favor of a commission" said the SEN
ator. 1T Is much better to have one
| head of the department and hold him
responsible for the work"
The last Legislature added about 80
new road routes to the Sproul high
way act with a mileage of 1900 miles.
| These routes are to become a part of
| the State highway system on June /.
1915. From that time forth the 1900
| miles of road would have to be main
| tanned at the sole expense of the State.
The estimated annual cost would be
$4,000. Senator Sproul says he is
thinking seriously of advocating the
repeal of the law creating these extra
routes. He believes it would be possi-
BILE to pass the measure. This would
reduce the mileage of the State high
ways to about $500 miles.
Commissioner T.. Nj. Bigelow of the
| Highway Department doubts the ad
visibility of wiping out the routes cre-
ated in 1918, and believes difficulty
| will be experienced in getting the in
terested legislators to vote for the re-
peal. The routes are located in all
sections of the State.
! Mr.. Bigelow figures the needs of the
! Highway Department for the next two
years at about $4,000, 900. Of this s8,-
100000 a year would be spent in
maintenance and resurfacing ma
Fcadam roads. His idea is to put the
maintenance department to work al
the earliest possible time and get