Arizona republican., 1920-08-26
STATES PROPOSED
 HIGHWAY MEASURES
 RECEIVE ATTENTION

In it's department headed Highway News, Views and Gossip the American Motorist in it's August number, de- votes considerable space to the two Arizona initiative highway measures for which petitions were circulated during the spring and summer, one of which will be voted upon by the people of the state at the election this fall. The two proposed measures are those for the creation of a state highe way commission and for increasing
 the limit of bonded indebtedness by constitutional amendment. The high
 way commission measure will appear on the ballot this year The American l Motorists comment on the two bills 1 follows:
 Initiative petitions for a state high way bond issue and for the establish
 ment of a state highway department
 have been circulated recently in Ari-
 zona These measures embody the most progressive ideas contained in
 the road laws of the most progressive road states.
 One bill provides that the constitu- ! ton of the state be amended so as to
 permit the issuance of bonds-about l $40, 900 000-for road building up to
 per cent of the assessed valuation and
 for the levying of a mill tax m all | property for the payment of the prin- cipal and interest.
 l The state highway law to be voted
 on this fall provides for the appoint
 ment of a conknission of five members with varying terms of office. Such an l rganization insures continuity of pol I icy regardless of any political changes | which may take place in the state. A similar organization is now in opera
 ton in 34 states. In 10 states the highway departments are controlled by
 a state highway commissioner or en- gineer, while in four states the work
 is handled as a branch of the depart
 ment of public works. The proposed
 law leaves the selection of the state
 highway engineer to the commission
 and provi1es that his tenure of office
 shall be subject to the will of the
 commission.
 The bill also provides for the selec-
 ton. construction and maintenance Of
 a state system of roads by and at the
 expense of the state. This is in line with the most progressive roads states including New York, New Jersey,
 Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachu-
 setts. California. Ohio. Illinois and Vir- ginia.
 Such a plan relieves the state from
 the necessity of securing the co-opera- ton of county authorities in the To- cation, selection of type, and Tn the furnishing of funds for the construc- ton and maintenance or the roadS. It has been found by the states above referred to that the best way to obtain a state system of roads is to give the state authorities full control and to furnish them the necessary money from general state funds instead of calling upon the counties for co-opera- ton and assistance.
 The cooperative plan has been fin a1se in Arizona several years; She state fund. derived from a state wide tax of one mill, being divided in two parts known as the 25 per cent fund and the 75 per cent fund. The 25 per cent fund is expended at the discre- ton of the state engineer while the 75 per cent fund Is apportioned to counties fin the same ratio as collected and is expended in cooperation with the counties,