The Washington herald., 1920-01-04
URGES AUTO TAX
IMPROVE ROADS
The Diverting Of Motorists
Money to Other Uses De-
plored by A. A. A. Man.

Miles of road which have much to
do with the high cost of living may
,become untravelable in many States
unless the tendency to divert auto
mobile registration money to float
ing State bond issues Is quickly ar
rested" asserted Chairman George
c. Diehl. of the A. A. A. Good Roads
Board, who yesterday at A. A. A. ma
tfonal headquarters discussed the
matter with highways advocates
from various sections Of the coun-
try. s
This is one Of the most serious
matters confronting far-seeing ad-
-vocates Of highways progress" said
Mr.. Diehl. who has been making a
survey OF 1870 State road programs.
"A fundamental in taxation Is that
it should be spread according to ben
-efits. and it Is ridiculous to say that
motorists receive all advantages
which accrue from improved high
ways.
when the motorists consent to
Pay a large share OF the mainte-
nance charges. that is as far as they
should acquiesce in sharing present.
day road expenses. Keep II in mind
that the motorist Is also a citizen
who pays the general taxes now ex-
acted nationally and in the several
States. This picking him out for
-supertaxation in connection with his
vehicle ownership has reached the
limit OF acceptance and should be
-stoutly resisted
short cuts lacking in true eco
nomic principles are always ferreted
out by the financial expert. and this
abuse of the motorists Eenerosity-
for that Is exactly what it isis be-
ing shorn of its subterfuges. In his
acceptance of a discriminatory tax
1he car owner is entitled to an hon.
est run for his money. This he
doesn't get when the registration
funds are used for construction and
not for maintenance. a method which
~ not put forward in States that are
willing to play fair in the premises.
After an investigation OF road
building activities in certain States
which are engaged in considering
various forms of financing their
highways building. l am more than
ever convinced that the original in
Yestment in the road itself should
only come from direct taxation or
appropriations from general funds.
or. when justified. through the issu-
ing of short-term serial bonds
''Of course, those great highways
into which numerous other roads
discharge their streams of traffic
must be exceedingly we'll built and
cost a great deal more money than
was the case years ago. But to di-
vert goodly sums from the $4,000
900 which the motorists now pay
throughout the country in yearly
registration taxes for the construc-
ton of these MAIN arteries Is the
poorest kind of Judgment. There
isn't a man. woman or child in any
community who doesn't benefit from
improved highways, and those who
profit from the increase in property
values should pay proport1onately.
What causes me to utter this pro-
test is that certain States just awak-
ened to road building necessities are
following the easiest way Of obtain
ing popular support for legislation
by placing the entire burden on the
shoulders of the motor vehicle own
er, who has got to the parting of
the ways. and, in my humble opin-
ion, is about to refuse longer to be
the goat. However, my greatest OBJ
lection to the proposition is on the
ground that money which should be
for maintenance is side tracked and
then no provision is substituted
whereby the many miles of road
which connect up outlying territory
I with a nearby market are neglected
to the extent Of adding thousands of
dollars to transportation costs OF
food products"