The Raymer enterprise., 1920-03-18
ROAD COMMITTEE
MEMBER REPORTS

A meeting OF few-too few-of
Raymer citizens met at the school
house last Saturday afternoon to hear
a report from Mr.. Allen. member Of
the road committee appointed from
this school district to see II better
road service could not be secured
for this section Of the county
The report was much the same as
the report given by us last week ta-
ken from the Greeley Tribune. but
he reported some additional facts
and We have heard some other re-
ports from which we gather the fol-
lowing:
1t became quite apparent that we
have great many friends In Gree
ley who believe that We are not ask
ing for anything unreasonable.
1t was called to the attention of
the meeting that these demands
were in line with resolutions adopt
ed two years ago by the Greeley
Chamber OF Commerce.
II was asked, IL this had not been
done, why not? d. E. Gray called
Greeley paid county road tax (this
coming year it will be $4,000 or
more) and as this tax could not be
spent inside OF the incorporation OF
Greeley, that the same was true OF
every incorporated town, and as that
money had to be spent in the county,
he was at loss to know why the
eastern section should not share pro-
rata in that part Of the road fund,
as well as receive what they paid In.
The fact that records were so kept
that II was impossible to tell what
amount was expended In each sec
tion without a great deal OF labor
in tabulation was criticised as O sys-
tenn that We had outgrown. 1t may
have been adequate when the road
expediture was only few thousand
each year and no pretense was made
OF grading any roads except in very
restricted areas; but now with the
expenditure increased TO more than
a quarter of million annually and
likely to reach or exceed half mil
lion in the near future, a more mod
ern record should be adopted. 50
that any section could find out what
they received. Such knowledge
would do much to satisfy those who
should be satisfied and relieve Off
cials OF unjust criticism. or at least
make such criticism ineffective.
After conference with Mr.. Rowe,
it was proposed by him that he
would allot to this part Of the coun-
ty so per cent OF their road tax at
once, and another 20 per cent would
be allotted later in the season II
emergency work does not come up to
seriously deplete the fund 1t is
claimed that the other 20 per cent
is used in administration. That ap-
pears to us to be high for admins
tration, but when we recall that
the county is so large. that the Of
ficers are far removed from their
work in many instances, it is prob
ably right II We had a smaller
county we could cut out some OF
this excessive cost.
Just to see what II costs us. let
us see what the proposed county pays
and what 1t will get Its direct con-
tribution to the road fund in taxes
this year will be in excess Of $4,000
We are assured OF a return OF 60
per cent OF this or $4,000, and If
the storm god is not too hard on us
We may get another 20 per cent, or
$4,000, bringing the total up to
possible $4,000.
But in addition to the $4,000 di-
rect road tax. We pay auto licenses,
half OF which would be returned
to us. We believe that would be
not less than $1,000. We will also
pay $4,000 to support state roads.
Weld county gets about half OF this
tax expended in the county. We
might not fare as we'll, but we could
count on another $4,000 from this
source. making a total OF $50, 900
that We would have for ourselves,
no matter what the floods did to the
bridges on the Platte or any other
place.
Look at the difference between
$4,000 and $4,000 and we find
that we would have twice as much
for roads, IL we had our own county.
as We can get our commissioner to
say We should have under the whip
and spur Of special committee Of
busy men who drop their business
and devote their time to begging for
what We should have without ques-