Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-15

| Hon. w. j. Thompson or South emma,
| giving an outline of an adequate road
building program for Maine. said that,
/ owing to the brevity necessary under the
! conditions, he would be obliged to touch
upon only a few basic principles. His
paper was delivered with the report of
the Commission on Rural Life Saturday
afternoon at the Community Efficiency
conference.
A Tax Problem.
The road problem he declared. is
primarily a tax problem, as is the pro-
! blem of all our public work.
While the tax rate in this State is
not fixed by law, by common consent IL
| is, and this being true, an appropriation
TO any institution or cause has direct
relation to the road appropriations: this
| is why budget system is recommended
| by our Governor.
| IF we had unlimited means we could
build any kind of road that anybody
wanted anywhere; but since our means
are limited the whole question is to Sc
lect our greatest need. There are other
| economic problems involved and the
+, sections Of the State carrying the heavi-
| least not burdened further.
DepopuIating Back Towns.
If trunk line system could be imme-
diately completed in this State before
the market and rural roads are i'm
proved, while in many ways it would
seem very desirable, at the same time
| it would become one OF the greatest fac
| in
| towns: the property along the trunk line
would greatly increase in value. while
the more remote property would depre-
| ciate.
| There is so much fog and supersti-
! ton connected with this whole road pro-
! blem. that it is more of a psychological
than a business difficulty
! First: Let me ask you, for the time
| being at least, to lay aside the consid-
Grafton of the method of raising tax
whether by Bond issue. Mill Tax. Auto
mobile License, or direct appropriation
by either the State or Town.-but think
of it as money paid by the people to
| build roads.
| second: Let me ask YOU to lay aside
the other superstition that calling Il
( road a Trunk Line or State Aid road and
marking it on a blue print, changes the
nature or character of the road. That
brings US to the three simple, basic prob
| lens of road building.
First: How much money shall we
raise. not from this or that source, but
! from ALL? For if you collect the tax
from many sources it does not change
the real burden.
Second: How shall the money be
divided or where shall it be spent?
Third: What kind of a road shall be
built?
There are two kinds of roads being
| much talked about in Maine just now
the so-called Trunk Line, and the State
Aid or Market roads
There is however another class of
roads in our State that has been quite
| forgotten, that I would like to call your
attention to. They are just the plain
roads that we travel on. and although
they have been forgotten and neglected.
they are like the poor that you have al
ways with you. and will continue to
have for long time to come.
!, Annual Expense.
In round numbers, for the past four
years the State has spent ANNUALLY
for roads the following:
"$Two million dollars for construction
and maintenance of common roads In
the various towns and cities;
Five hundred thousand dollars from
Bond issue;
Three hundred thousand dollars State
Aid road appropriation.
Three hundred thousand dollars
raised by towns for same purpose; and
Three hundred sixty thousand dollars
from Automobile Licenses making in
round numbers $4,000 annually, inde-
pendent of special appropriations and |
snow bills.
rs this sum fair amount to raise for |
roads? l have heard many say that |!
better roads should be built, but / have |
yet to hear that this total sum should |
be materially increased.
Even a Bond issue is not proposed TO |
increase the annual expense.
las to the division of this money or
where it shall be spent. Leaving out of |
account the $4,000 Of automobile license |
money which goes to the maintenance
of improved State roads. 100000 has
gone to build and maintain about 25.oo1i
miles of city and town highways. Five /
hundred thousand to construct 70 miles