Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-23
MOTOR CAR TAXATION
ENGAGING ATTENTION
New York State Comptroller Sug-
gests Levy Of Graduated Tax
on All Wheeled Vehicles.
LARGER FEDERAL AUTHORITY
Road Upkeep Could he Moro Equit.
ably Rcadjusted, Writer Believes,
Under Supervision OF a National
Highway Department.
EUGENE NJ. TRAVIS,
State Comptroller, Ne. York, in the
june Motor Life.

various methods have been suK-
Eested Tor the readjustment OF taxation,
but probably the most comprehensive
ana statcsmanlike scheme ever sug-
sested in this direction proposes to
levy graduated tax on all wheeled
vehicles. varying with their weight
and the use to which they are to be put
Ihe heavy trade vehicles, motor buses,
vans. etc, are more destructive to
the roads than any other form, even
the swift and heavy motor car equipped
with steel-studded tires, which arc also
very destructive.
Another method OF more equitably
readjusting the expense OF road upkeep
would be TO set up 4 national highway
department. charging the function OF
the present department OF roads at
Washington. which should take over
the care OF tho main roads through the
several States. The maintenance for
these would then be supported largely
by the Federal government in way
similar to the routes nationales OF
FRANCE. and thus through traific would
bear a higher proportion OF the ex-
pense OF through routes
IN the case OF the motor vehicle
every motor car TO be operated upon
the public highways must nrst pay an
annual tax. fixed according TO the
horse power OF the motor and varying
from IS 10 SIS. although commercial
cars (motor trucks. omnibuses and
oc!!Very wagons) pay tax assessed
upon vehicles OF this type. according
to their weight. carrying and. in the
case OF omn!buses, seating capacity
This latest move on the part or the
present administration is. therefore, OF
special interest to motorists generally.
as II reVircs very important Ques-
ton.
Speaking generally. motor cars are
she only vehicles In this State at pres
oil
TAX Tor the use of the roads while
horse-drawn vehicles ESCAPE entirely
" neither this proportion o! exemption
is lair or unfair. or should be increased,
Is a matter which the Legislature will
soon have 10 decide II the principle
Is 10 be adopted OF making vehicles
which use the roads pay more heavily
1or that use, II goes without saving
mat the present scale Of motor car
taxation Will have to be changed. and
that al vehicles. motor and horse
drawn alike. viii have 10 pay their
share.
1t must be confessed that taxation
oy weight alone has not proved to be
satisfactory. as weigh; alone is
not probably. good criterion.
AS regards a gasoline tax. the authori-
ties have already pointed out good and
suficient reasons why such a proposi-
ton would be difficult one TO carry
out in practice. TO begin with, gaso-
line is used in many other trades such
as Tor dyeins and cleaning and for
other purposes. and II would obviously
be Unfair 70 Lax such trades for a pur-
pose totally Uncontrolled with their
industry. Moreover. the only wav bv
which 1t would be possible to collect
such tax would DE by forbidding the
SAFE oil gasoline in any form for motor
cars except III special packages
II tire. were taken as basis OF
motor car taxation, great difficulties
would present themselves 4 broad
tire does Infinitely less harm to the
ROAD than narrow one while pneu.
matte tires are admitted to be less de-
stFuctlve 10 road surfaces than those
OF SOLD rubber, which. in their turn.
are better from road point Of view
IMAM plain iron or steel rims II is
therefore desirable from the point OF
view or the road 10 encourage the use
OF DIG pneumatic tires and undesirable
10 put any percentage taxation upon
the price OF tires. as this would encour-
age the use OF smaller. cheaper and
more destructive tires.