The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-12
4 =
MOTOR TRUCK TAX
TEXT OF HEARING
Proposed Bill Makes Rates
Altogether too High,
Users Say
LONG HEARING
AT MONTPELIER
Users of Trucks Say Taxes contemplat-
ed in Bill Under Consideration Would
Make Cost of Operating Them Pro-
hibitive

MONTPELIER, March 12-An parts OF
Vermont and several other states were
represented last evening at the public
hearing i'll Representatives hall on I'll.
254, the motor truck bill The hearing
was held before the house committee on
highways and bridges, with Mr.. Taylor Of
Hardwick presiding. The discussion
broadened into general review of road
conditions, types, sizes, capacities and
weights of trucks, strength of bridges,
and, most important of all, proper rates
of taxation.
The speakers included Harry Black, sec
York. secretary of the National Motor
Truck committee; Commissioner Bates
of the highway department: Elias Ly-
man of Burlington; Mr.. Writers of St.
Johnsbury; w. S. Teachout, chief clerk
of the state automobile department; How
ard Blossom of the Drown Motor Co. of
Barre; A. O. Gates, Vermont representa-
tive of the Standard Oil Co.; James Cash
man of Burlington; a. l.. Fenner of the
International Motor CO.; Roy Calder
wood of ST. Johnsbury; Mr.. Blood Of
West Windsor and Others
At the opening of the hearing, it was
stated that the committee was not insist
ing on this bill as it now stands, but
| that it had been drawn up as tentative
bill, with the rates on trucks purposely
| high SO that ideas could be brought out
and fair average reached Anybody
| who desired to do so was invited to
speak on the measure and information
was sought
| 1t was the general opinion that the
rates provided for by the bill are alto
gether too high, but there was a good
deal of difference in the opinions as Il
how they should be adjusted. Mr.. Ly
man told of his business in Burlington il
which he used several trucks, and ais
the tale business in Waterbury in which
he is interested, where much of the cart
ing is done with heavy trucks. He salt
that the registration fees provided for IL
/ this bill would practically prohibit tn
use of trucks in the tale business and tina
the rates seemed unfair for the lighte
trucks which he used in and about Bur
hngton. =.
/ Mr.. Writers of st. Johnsbury though
it best to tax pleasure riders rather thai
business interests, and maintained that !
was unfair to tax light truck more thai
"a heavy touring car. Mr.. Writers wa
quite active in the discussion and at on
point, following the statement by mem
Der of the committee on highways an
bridges that the committee was asking 10
information in regard TO truck matters
because it did not pretend to know abou
them. Mr.. Writers remarked quickly:
Then you shouldn't be legislating o
them!"
4 There was a momentary applause, the
somewhat strained silence, broken by
!, few hasty words between members of tn
committee and some ardent truck owner
nearby, which, however, soon subsidet
, This was the only really strained momer
4 during the discussion, although some ratl
er cryptic remarks were made at time
Mr.. Fem of the National Motor True
committee read lengthy article in II
> gard to the value of the truck in all wall
a lof life and quoted standard requirement
q for the motor truck, which, he said. ha
been adopted in many states. He al
!. swered many questions, as did Mr.. Eel
! ner of the international Motor. Co.
: A. O. Gates. speaking for the Standar
! Oil Co., said that the provisions of tn
I bill would make delivery by that con
= many in Vermont practically prohibitiv
j. He advanced scale of rates which !
thought would be satisfactory to II
! Standard Oil Co. Scales of registratic
: rates were also advanced by several OF
ers present. .oe
Il Tn regard to the weight of trucks 70
! foperated on the roads OF the state, Cor
missioner Bates maintained that a six-tC
II limit ought to be made, and that it won
: be simply impossible to build roads
: Vermont for several years which won
stand up under load of Is tons, such
a had been suggested.