The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-12-19
PROPOSED NEW
& HII-4 -
i AUTO TAX LAW
WOULD MAKE THE COLLECTIONS
IN EACH COUNTY.
SPEND IT TO BUILD ROADS
Establish One Good Highway in Place
OF Attempting To Spread the
Money Over Every township
New Number System.

The writer has attempted to investi.
gate the automobile situation in Iowa,
but has found it somewhat difficult.
painstaking search has failed to
discover any report published by the
secretary of state at any time. This
seems peculiar in view of the large
amounts collected and disbursed each
year, and it would appear that some
public accounting would be impera-
tive.
For the above reason any figures
herein given are subject to correction,
as the only available sources of infor.
nation are the statements made in
the newspapers of iowa.
The writer, with an acquaintance
stood on the corner of Third avenue
and Third street in Cedar Rapids for
one hour week ago and counted the,
autos and trucks passing this point,
which had either Dealers" numbers
or no numbers visible noting over
fifty in that time. Quite a lot carry.
ing dealers numbers appeared to be
old and well on to decrepitude. Those
having only one number plate were
not counted.
In 1917, the writer mailed his IL
cense fee to the secretary about Feb
ruary 1st and received a receipt about
Aug. 30. The present year license was
paid March 4 and receipt was given
about August 20.
Change Number System.
The state is now paying about $780,
600 for new number plates for use in
the next three years. In 1915 the pay
ment for this purpose was around
100000, and three years hence, in
case the present law obtains, the sum
will probably be $150,000.
There seems to be no way of ascer-
tanning outside of the secretary's Of
fee whether any particular car own
er has not paid his license fee for two
years past; further, it does not seem
to be the business of any one to find
out whether the fee has or has not
beenpaid. This, the writer submits
is all wrong, and is, besides, doing an
injustice, not only to those who do
pay, but to the state itself.
Some thought along this linehas
convinced the writer that a remedy
is possible, and he ventures to sug-
gest a reform, which is believed to be
practicable and desirable. 1t is here
with submitted for consideration in
the hope that the matter may be TAX
en- up by our representatives in the
coming session of the legislature, and
a better system put into effect.
Proposed New Measure.
The writer suggests:
~ That the present enactment
be repealed.
(2) That new act be passed, pre-
viding: (a) that all cars, trucks, etc,
now in use, and all new cars, trucks
and the like, sold in the future, with.
in the state be given number Gas
now provided by the state), but that
such vehicle shall retain that number
so given as long as it shall exist; (b)
that in lieu Of new numbers to be is
sued periodically, simple metal tag,
carrying the year (e. g. 1919, etc. for
which license has been paid be at
tached to the regular number plates,
the number being for identification
only; (c) that it shall be the duty of
each owner to keep these yearly met
al tags displayed at each end of his
vehicle at all times, and that it shall
be the duty of any peace officer to ar
rest the driver of any vehicle failing
to display such tag, and that suitable
punishment by fine or other wise be
provided for such failure to display
the tage; (d) that such fine, ETC., pro-
vide for a fee of say s1.0O to be paid
TO the officer making the arrest.
s(3) That instead of the license
fees being paid to the state, that they
be payable to the individual counties
and be collected by the county treas
urer In the same way that othe.
taxes are collected, and that it be tho
duty OF the county to supply the year.
ly tags described above. .....
(D That the funds so collected be
spent on the public highways of that
county, and not distributed as at pres.
ent among the townships of the en-.
tire state.
(5) That the funds so collected
shall be spent as whole on some one
principal road Ito be selected by lot or
otherwise so as to avoid partiality or
discriminatory until such road is
completed and then some other road
be chosen in the same way and this
road be completed and so on.
Money Now Wasted.
The writer submits that under our
present law these license fees,
amounting to more than $3,0O0,000 per
annum, are Dr'~~tically wasted by be-
ing 'dribbed" out among the 1900
townships o. Iowa According to the
last published statement this fund
to $1,000 per township this
year, paid out in two installments of
$500 and $4OO each. Neither payment
being enough. to make an appreciable
moving anywhere.
Under the proposed arrangements
his fund. especially If combined with
the proposed q. S. government road