Evening star., 1915-05-02
URGES NEW TAXES
FOR ROAD UPKEEP
Secretary of State of New
York Thinks Present Sys-
tenn Is Unfair.
NOT AN EASY PROBLEM
TO ADJUST THE BURDEN
Believes Horse Drawn as Well as
Motor Vehicles Should Pay
Special Tax.

Some time ago." says Francis NJ.
Hugo, secretary of state of New York,
'the question of increased cost In high
way maintenance and motor car taxa
ton was discussed at length. and since
then there have been renewed demands
in this and other states that mechanic
ally driven vehicles shall contribute
more largely than they do at present
to the expense Of road repair. In view
of this agitation it may be worth while
to examine the various methods by
which taxation for such purposes is
now being made and will be raised in
the future. and to discuss at the same
time the more important question of
the general principle Of taxation for
highway purposes
There can be no doubt that the pres
eht system OF collecting moneys from
motor vehicles is not entirely an ideal
one. 1t does not, in the first place, in
sure That every user of the road NOV
ing his vehicle thereon should pay
somethins toward its maintenance.
Moreover, the present variation in the
charges between the low and high
powered motor cars and the failure to
differentiate between the broad and
narrow tired vehicles leaves much to
be desired from the point OF view of
simple equity.
Three Sources Of Revenue.
But, to begin with, it should be
stated that the highway maintenance
and repair fund is at present provided
for In three ways-by appropriations
from the state, counties and towns To
deal with the first of these the state
originally took over the construction
ana direct management of the state
highways in 1898. when the Higbie-
armstrong act first became effective
VI course. While every person in the
state indirectly contributes to highway
construction, maintenance and repair
motorists alone are the only ones pay
Ing a vehicular tax direct Although
IN the counties and towns highway
taxes are charged largely, if not en-
ttrely. upon lands and houses, person
atty generally escapes motor cars be-
ing expressly exempted by statute
Thus the burden of upkeep today is
borne by the general taxpayer plus the
local ratepayer and motor car owner
while the owners of personal property
almost entirely escape.
There 1s, therefore, a kind of rough
injustice in the present arraneement.
and now that the cost Of road main
tenance. especially on the main roads.
has risen SO much, it is a question
whether all vehicles pay in fair pro
portion to the damage they cause, and
personal property tax should not be
compelled to pay somewhat larger
proportion toward the general expense
of road upkeep.
There are various methods which
have been suggested for the readiust-
ment of taxation. but probably the
most comprehensive and statesmanlike
scheme ever suggested in this direc-
tion proposes to levy graduated tax
on all wheeled vehicles. VARYING with
10 n hi
are to be put. The heavy trade vehicles.
motor buses, vans. etc, are more de-
structive to the roads than any other
form. even the swift and heavy motor
car equipped with steel studded tires.
which are also very destructive
For National Commission.
Another method of more euuitably
readjusting the expense Of road upkeep
would be to set UP national highway
department, enlarging the function of
the present department Of roads at
Washington, which should take over
the care of the main road through the
several states. The maintenance for
these would then be supported largely
by the federal government in a similar
way to the routes nationales of France
bear higher proportion Of the ex-
pense of through routes.
I'm the case of the motor vehicles.
every motor car to be operated unon
the public highways must first pay an
annual tax, fixed according to the
horsepower of the machine, and yary-
ing from IS to $25. although CONNER
cial cars (motor trucks and delivery
| wagons) pay a fat uniform tax re-
gardless Of the horsepower Speaking
generally. motor cars are the only We
hicles in this state at present Which
are compelled to pay any tax for the
| use of the roads. while horse drawn
vehicles escape entirely. Whether this
proportion of exemption is fair or un-
fair, or should be increased, is a mat
ter which the legislature will have
soon to decide. II the principle is to be
adopted Of making vehicles which use
the roads pay more heavily for that
present scale of motor car taxation
will have to be changed and that all We
hicles. motor and horse drawn alike.
will have to pay their share.
"But a great many difficulties will
present themselves before any serious
alteration can take place. Looking at
the subject from the viewpoint of road
| destruction, the horse-drawn vehicle
4