The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-03-06
COUNTY BOARDS IN PROTEST

| The Following resolution was passed
unanimously at the annual convention
of the chairmen of the County Boards
of Wisconsin, held at Milwaukee on
Friday, February 21st and 22nd. The
gathering was made up of fifty of the
chairmen of the seventy-one County
Boards in the state. AS expressive Of an
attitude on the road movement they
are highly significant, as no gathering
of more representative and official
character, as rejecting the sentiment
of the people on the highway question
could be brought together in Wiscon-
sin.
WHEREAS, the highway movement
has reached the stage where it de-
mands the adoption of broad, con-
structive and equitable program to
finance highway maintenance and con-
struction in the state and
WHEREAS, the recent tendency has
been to adopt policy of temporary
expedients, which resulted in the bur-
den of taxation being shouldered on
the local units, so that the state bears
but a meager share of the burden
therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the chairmen OF
the County Boards of Wisconsin in
convention assembled protest against
any further legislation increasing the
burden of taxation on the local units,
either directly or by diverting the
funds now allotted to the counties, and
place ourselves on record as in favor
of meeting all state highway appro-
priations by levying a direct state tax.
Be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of these
resolutions be sent to each member of
the legislature, now in session, and
that a copy be sent to each member of
the County State Road and Bridge
Committees of the several counties OF
the state.
For some time a sentiment has been
growing throughout Wisconsin that
the state was Sinking its duty in the
matter of road building, and unloading
the burden on the shoulders of the
counties and towns. The figures show
that the state today is paying less than
20 per cent toward state aid road build
ing. In the year 1916 the total amount
spent on State Aid road and bridge
construction was $3,951,7 25, the state
aid amounting to $7S5,OO0, which
means 1886 per cent. In the year 1917
slightly more was spent on construc-
ton. The state aid remained the same
and amounted to 1876 per cent Elm
mating Milwaukee county, which can
finance itself generously, the state aid
amounted to 1852 per cent in 1916 and
1S45 per cent in 1917.
On the State Trunk Highway system
although one would naturally suppose
the percentage was greater, when the
situation is analysed it will be found
that the state is appropriating moth
ing When the State Trunk Highway
Act was passed it was devised to meet
the provisions of the Federal Aid Road
| Act, which allotted the sum of $4,000,
600 to Wisconsin in the period ending
June 3d. 1921. The state was required
to meet the federal appropriation. 1t
did so by taking from the counties the
three quarters of the automobile IL
cense fees which they were receiving,
allotting them one quarter and raising
the license fee. In other words, it took
money from the counties to meet the
states share 1t further provided that
the counties should bear one third of
the cost of construction for which the
counties are required to levy tax. In
brief, the fund is created from three
sources, a federal government appro-
priation, taxes levied by the county,
and the states share comes from auto
mobile license fees taken from the
counties.
Indications are that the issue will
rise sharply in the present legislature,
growing out of the fact that the fed
eral government has increased the
share of federal aid Wisconsin will re-
ceive, by appropriating $5,O0O,000 ad-
ditional. The state must provide an
equal amount. One plan being dis
cussed to get the money was to wipe
out the personal property tax on mo-
tor vehicles, which goes to the county
treasures, and increase the motor Ii
cense, which would go to the state
Another plan is to take away from the
counties the one-quarter of the auto
mobile licenses which now go back to
them. From Good Roads Association
Of Wisconsin.