The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1917-07-17
THE BENEFITS OF STATE
AID FOR ROAD BUILDING
(By r. f. Toms, L. S. Senior High
way Engineer.)

AT the time of the passage of the
Act to create and establish a sys-
tenn Of public state roads and levy
state road tax of five cents on
every one hundred dollars valuation
to provide for the construction
thereof, considerable opposition de-
vcloped in many of the counties re-
garding the provisions Of the Act.
Some resented what they we're
pleased to call outside interference
with the internal affairs Of the
county. Others could-see no benefit
accruing to them from the State
Tax or the State Department, while
others wanted the State Road Tax
collected in each county, returned to
each county and expended by the
County Officials.
The operations of the State Aid
Law for over two years has served
to change public opinion to large
extent and to bring about a more
general understanding and appIa-
citation of the State Aid Law and
the State Department. For the
benefit of those who are still not ia
niliar with its provisions and for
the information OF certain polite
ians who are endeavoring to seek
nggradizement regarding its opera
ito, a few pertinent facts are here
given.
The State Aid Law was designed
primarily to aid the poorer counties
in the State in securing roads.
The state aid fund is opportioned
to the counties in the ratio the
amount of taxes levied and collect
ed in any one county for roads and
bridges bears to the amount of taxes
levied and collected in the entire
state for roads and bridges, pro-
vided, however, that no one county
shall receive in any one year more
than two per cent. of the State Road
Fund. The limitation of the two per
cent. apportionment makes possible
the assistance to poorer counties.
For example, jefferson county pays
approximately twenty-five per cent.
of the total State Road Fund and is
apportioned not over two per cent.
The other twenty-thr per cent. is
apportioned to the poorer counties.
The maximum appointments to
any one county for the years 1915
1917 ranged from $14,950.00 to
$13, $4,000 so that unless a county
has an assessed valuation of over
twenty five million dollars it re-
ceives from the State Aid Fund
more money than is paid into the
State Fund by reason of the five
cent tax. As matter of fact only four
counties in the state fail to receive
more from the State Aid Fund than
is paid in. The other one hundred |
and sixteen counties can receive |
more than paid in if applied for.
Counties with an assessed valuation |
around five million dollars receive
double the amount
paid while counties with valuations
around two and one-half million re-
ceive approximately three times
the amount paid in.
The advantages OF a Highway
Department in administering this
fund and furnishing qualified and
Engineers is too well
to be even debatable.
II is significant to note that
whatever opposition exists to the
State Aid Law at present is encoun-
cred in the poorer counties that re-
,eive the greater benefits. There is
not found a discordant note from
he larger centers of wealth who
ire giving of their wealth to help
heir less Fortunate neighbors. It is
If furthes interest to note that the