Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-03-14
ROAD PROBLEM UP
TO LEGISLATURE
Must Find 100000 to Get
Federal Aid.
MAY RAISE AUTOMOBILE TAX
suooested That State Withhold One
Quarter of License Fees Now Be-
fna Turned over TO the
Counties.

portant problems looming up before
the present legislature is the financing
of Wfsconsin's future road program.
This grows out of that fact that IN
der the new federal road act passed.
toward the close of the session OF the
recent congress, the federal aid to the
states. which under the original bill is
STE. OO0. 600, was increased in the sum
of 5000 100000. Under the $75,0OOOOO
bin Wisconsin's allotment was APP
proximately 100000. Under the
new bill her allotment is increased TO
S5.O00,000 in the next two years.
The question is, how is Wisconsin
to meet this S5,O00.O00, as the federal
aid act requires that each state shail
appropriate an amount equal to that
appropriated by the government.
Two years ago, when It was neceS-
sary to meet the terms of the federal
aid act. which allotted the sum OF 81
100000 to wisconsin, the state ameila-
ed tie law, changing II SO that instead
of receiving three-quarters of the II
cer,se fees paid in by each county, the
counties would receive but one-duar-
ter. The three-quarters Of the fund
was diverted to the state trunk high-
way fund. the license increased to Slo'
and in this way the states share was
met. It was met by taking the moneys
from the counties, which meant that
the counties had TO levy tax for road
taken care Of by utilizing the three
quarters of the automobile license
funds they received.
Suggestions that the state meet the
new S5.000.000 allotment by what some
of the county board members call
again passing the buck" are meeting
with much opposition. one suggestion
is that the state withhold the one quar-
ter OF the motor license fees now being
returned to the counties. which VIII
amount to about 100000 in this fiscal
year, and another is that the state
wipe out the personal properly tax on
motor vehicles, which now goes into
the treasures of the local unit, and
Increase the license fee to SO or $40
to go into the state fund. This would
mean the taking away of several hun
bred thousand dollars from the local
treasures. Either of these suggestions
involves the leyying Of additional local
road taxes.
At a recent meeting Of the chairmen
of the county boards of Wisconsin,
held at Milwaukee. there was unani-
NOUS opposition TO what they called
"any further passing of the buck
Those present called attention to the
fact that the road tax was not de-
creased whatsoever, but that it was
simply unloaded on the counties, in
stead OF the state taking care of Its
share The meeting passed strong
resolutions and ordered copy sent
to each member Of the legislature. The
closing paragraph is as follows:
"Resolved that the chairmen of the
county boards of Wisconsin, in con-
vention assembled, protest against any
further legislation shifting the burden
of state taxation to the local units,
either directly or by dlyerting the
funds now allotted to the counties, and
place ourselves on record as in favor
of meeting all state highway appropri-
atlons by levying direct state tax"
The legislators are hearing from
members OF county boards every day
regarding this resolution.
at the meeting mt Milwaukee atten-
tion was called to the fact that the
state. under the state trunk highway
act was paying no part of the burden,
as her share is made up of money
taken from the counties, and under the
state aid act the state was paying less
than 20 per cent of the cost of build
ing the roads, whereas the theory was
that the state. counties and towns
should each pay one-thi.d.
That the farmer was ahead of the
scientist in the discovery that bar
berry was a dangerous shrub in the
spreading of rust which destroyed the
farmers wheat crop, was the state
ment made by Prof. A. ]. Johnson of
the agricultural department of the
university, speaking before the agri-
cultural committee.
1.-THE scientist was somewhat suspi-
clous of the conclusion of the farm
err" Professor Johnson said, shut the
farmer, who saw the barberry bush in
close conjunction with the rust-strick-
en- wheat. insisted. and eventually the
scientist verified the fact and caught
lp with the farmer"
Interstate Basketball Tournament.
An interstate high school basketball
tournament, at which the high school
Championship Of the central states viii
be decided. Is to be held at the Uni
versity of Wisconsin on March 81 and
p. The University of Wisconsin will
send invitations to the winners of the
state tournaments through state athlet-
10 nSsOciafippS EIiUb sphool obop,y,fOr.