Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-20
SESSION HALF GONE,
HIGHWAY PROGRAM
Still HANGS FIRE

away, and the most Important con.
structive work of the session remains
undisposed .of. To finish this worl
and sustain its reputation as the
most constructive legislature in {
quarter of a century, it will be neces-
sary for the house and senate to side.
track unimportant matters and con
centrate their attention upon the big
things.
First and foremost in the minds OF
most members of both branches OF
the general assembly, and doubtless
foremost in the minds of the PEG.
pie, is the highway program. This
all depends upon the passage of the
ton so as to provide for a high.
way bond issue: Every one is agreed
that the bond-issue method of con
struct!ng a system of state trunk
roads is the business-like method. II
means that the system will be fin
lShed IN the shortest possible time
and that the present generation can
enjoy its benefits in completed form
oe1ore they pass away. In other
words, it is hike all other big pub
nc proJects-build now and use now
ana let each succeeding years in
come apply on the cost
Motor Fund Dispute
But before the bond issue bill can
pc passed through the house or the
senate, it seems to be necessary TO
settie a notify contested question as
10 the direction which shall be given
the automobile fund pending the is
suance OF the bonds The fund this
year VIII run close to $4,000, 600.
Next year it will be more. and the
next. year more, and so on, as The
number of motor vehicles increa SEES
Inc bond issue bill, if passed. will
go 10 the people in the general cleo
81 ZION TINS IAN. If the people approve
H. eheh the legislature in 1921 will
pass the necessary enactment to mt
It's provisions into effect. Another
tWeIVe months will probably be re-
CURED TO Issue and market the bonds
mus the revenue from motor We
liicIe licenses, otherwise known as the
I tL fund. will be coming into
the treasury for two or three wears
before the bonds are issued, and the
question unsettled in the legislature
is now to expend it during that period,
AFTER the bonds are issued. the en-
TIRE automobile fund will be used to
pay SINKING fund and interest, which
is the financial plan followed in prac-
tlc2lly all the states where state
highway systems have been or are
being built.
A wing of the house led by Repre-
sentative Knight, of Berrien. wants
the automobile fund prorated by the
highway board among the several
counties, on post road mileage
basis, pending the issuance of high
way bonds. A wing led by Repre-
sentative Carswell. of Wilkinson,
wants the fund to be used by the
the preliminary work of what is ui-
timately to be the finished system
of state highways. They do not want
the highway board to be required to
distribute the fund among the coun-
ties on prorata basis, as they are
T-Tf
produce but slight results.
Eavors Preliminary work
Representative knight does not
r,,ted. shall be placed in the hands
q the local county authorities for
expenditure as they see fit. He is
willing for the highway board to
eXpend the fund, when prorated, on
roads and for Whatever prof.
distributed. He contends that tangi
be evidence which would thus be
given the people in every county of
an even distribution would popularize
the bond issue and insure its pas
sage: He contends that. bridges
to become state roads, that grades
could be rectified on roads which
were to become state roads. and that
other preliminary work of q permaA
nent nature could be done in, all coun-
ties with the automobile fund from
year to year until the bonds were
issued.
Representative Knights resolution
directing the highway board to dis
tribute the automobile fund in the
manner above stated, will come be-
fore the house next Tuesday morn
ing as a special and continuing order.
Opponents of the resolution claim
they have it beaten. Representative
knights reply is that the supporters
of his resolution will defeat the bond
issue bill if his resolution is defeat
cd 1t only takes a majority vote to
pass his resolution, but the BOND IS.
sue Till requires a tWo-thirIS vote o:
the whole house, being a constitu-
tional amendment, and likewise a
two-thirds vote of the senate. Repre-
sentative Knight will vote and speak
for the bond issue bill it his resolu-
ton is passed and will speak for the
ratification of the bond issue bill
his resolution is defeated, he says
he will fight the bond issue bill in
the legislature and fight it on the
stump if it passes the legislature.
Those supporting the Knight res
olution contend that Representative
Carswell and those SUPPORTING ms
views have to make a choice between
compromising with the knight iol-
lowing, or of beating their resolution
and jeopardizing the bond issue phi.
Of course, if the bond issue bill is
defeated Or fails to pass, the highway
program is held up for two years
for the next general election when
constitutional amendments can be
submitted to the people does not
come until the fall of 1922.
Finance Legislation Needed
Next to the highway program, the
most important and pressing matter
before the legislature is the extrlca-
tion of the state from it's embarrass-
ing financial tangle. A floating debt
which has been accommodating an
nually for several years will likely
amount to $2,000,0O0 when the pres
emit years balance is taken on De-
cember 81. The problem before the
legislature is how to pay off that
floating debt and start the state with
a clean financial slate.
Various solutions have been pro-
posed. One is a bill to amend the
constitution so as to authorized an
issuance of S5,000,000 of bonds 10
pay the floating debt ana cre a1ied d
surplus to be used in lean perloos
when current receipts run low In the
treas The state does not collect
its revenue from month 10 moilh' as
a business concern collectS us ac-
counts, or an individual draws wages
income, Out COISClo tiiO . NNNS
of II in the fall of the year when
taxes are paid, and collections are
then strung out through a period
reaching into the spring OF the ensu-
ing year
Income Tax Proposed
Another proposed solution, ike
wise involving a constitutional
amendment. is OF levy tax upon an
come cofo"T tax, and to make this new
source of revenue absorb the deficit
and keep the state going without a
new deficit in the future. Connected
with the proposal for an income tax,
but abandoned for the present ses-
sion, are constitutional bills reor-
ganizing the tax system so as 10
classify property according to KIND.
and to segregate certain kinds OF
property to be taxed only by the
state without local taxation.
Another proposed solution Is to in
crease the governors borrowing pow
er from 100000 to $3,000,O00. This