El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-13

section s. chapter Of the special
session OF 1917. has now expired. All
counties made this levy for 1918.
The county net tax levy shown in
the tabulation as S616,340S5 is de-
rived from q gross levy Of 1922. 2z3.S3
collections 1913 per cent?, Of which
gross amount S5729 $685. is levied
under section S, chapter 5. Of 1917,
special session laws and S344.11713
under section p chapter IS, laws OF
1917 regular session
Owing TO the reconstruction prob
lens arising with the completion Of
the war and the necessity for the gov
eminent and the states TO furnish
work for the returning soldiers, it
viii be necessary that either section
S, chapter 5, OF the extraordinary
session be again reenacted in its orig
NAL form, or a state levy Of like
amount authorized If this is not
done the ability OF the state to raise
funds for road construction will be
limited 10 the present one mill state
levy plus whatever the counties can
levy under chapter 3S and state with
in the 5 percent Limitation
May Have to Curtan Work.
II the emergency levy had not been
in operation this season the construc-
ton program would have been over
$4,000 less than at present contem-
plated.
From the tabulation Of county
funds, it viii be seen that the counties
viii expend S5S2,382 that the state
viii be unable TO assist in
Il would appear advisable to in
crease the state levy by one mill and
II this is done it should be excepted
from the provisions Of section y OF
chapter 81 Of the session laws OF
1915 or other limitations.
New Legislation Suggested.
It is proposed to submit for your
consideration bill to amend the
present laws relating 10 motor vehi-
cies- The important features OF this
proposed bill, which closely follows
the Texas laws. are as follows:
A permanent license number sys-
ten is provided whereby one set Of
license plates only is issued to each
main with the car from the date Of
licensing until ii finally goes out Of
service This system enables the de-
partment in charge Of licensing TO de-
termine automatically which cars
have paid license for the current year,
enables the state TO keep q running
inventory OF cars in use and provides
a measure OF protection TO the car
owners. The payment OF the current
year fee Is denoted by an inexpensive
seal OF distinctly coelOr attached to
the front Of each motor vehicle. The
seal Of distinctive color attached to
first licensing, eliminating about rs
per cent OF the postage charges over
the present system, and q large part
Of the cost OF plates
Would Increase Revenue
The licensing rate for motor We
hicles is increased considerably and
special rates are provided for trucks,
based on wheel loads
Seventeen thousand licenses were
issued during 1913 with a gross reve-
an average fee OF $500 or an average
horsepower between so and 30, say
81 Under the proposed bill the gross
revenue would approximate 100000
annually on the present number Of
cars
The licensing would be transferred !
from the secretary Of state to the
highway department The records l
would be required TO be kept IN such /
a form that lost or stolen cars from /
this or other states could be traced
and identified.
would Protect Roads.
Certain rules Of the road and pen J
alties for the violation OF these are /
provided
The use OF narrow-tired vehicles IS /
restricted: the sale discontinued and /
this prolific cause OF road deprecla-
ton gradually eliminated
The entire proceeds Of licensing IS I
diverted to the state road fund with I
the idea that these revenues could be /
used 10 refund state road bonds for /
the construction Of a system OF per- /
manent roads, the cost OF which 1
would fall upon the automobile users 1