Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-10-19
THE GOOD ROADS AMENDMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

posed Good Roads Amendment and
to deprive the people of West Virgin
ia of the benefits they would rece-
i've Hereunder. Literature has
been circulated and letters mailed
out to the voters explaining very e.
laborately why the plan should be
defeated. 1t is deliberate attempt
to misrepresent the facts and to mis-
lead the voting public. The out
side interests represented have no in
terest in West Virginia except to ex-
plot its natural resources and take
out of the State all they can get and
keep their vast holdings from being
taxed for anything in the way of
public improvements to leave to the
people after they have removed AN
our natural wealth. They are tax
ing all possible advantage of the old
calamity cry of increased taxes. Do
not be misled. 1t is not your taxes
that they are thinking about but their
taxes. That is different matter.
However, anyone who will do a
little thinking for himself will read
lily see the falsity and absurbity of
argument you are asked to believe.
The author of this misreprenenta-
ton views with alarm the prospect of
a possible issue of bonds for build
ing a state system of roads. He
says that it will require one-seven-
teenth of the taxable property of the
State to retire $50,000,000, 30 year
bond issue or if man has seventeen
houses he will have to sell one to pay
his extra taxes. He figures TWEEN
ty cent levy for 80 years which would
amount to $500, which is about one
seventeenth of $4,000, but we are
already paying twenty-five cent
levy for constructing main roads
which will amount to $3.50 in thirty
years, which is one-thirteenth of
$4,000. Are we going to have to
sell one-thirteenth of our property to
pay this one item of taxes? He
says the total tax levy in the city of
Charleston is $3.17, so what is the
use of talking about thirty years?
We will not have any property then,
according to this line of absurd rea-
soning. The city of Charleston for
instance in thirty years will have
consumed in taxes the whole of its
property. Is he assuming that a
thirty year obligation is to be paid
off in one year simply because the
grand total on principal and interest
present taxable valuation of the
State? Does a man pay thirty
years taxes by a single payment in
advance? The idea is absurd. No
business man will take it seriously.
If his reasoning was sound, every
tax payer would be bankrupt and
penniless in just thirteen years if the
present Class A levy is continued.
What will become of the many
Counties and Districts that have al
ready voted local bond issues and are
paying levies of from thirty to fifty
cents? Was there ever a more RI
diculous theory of taxation presented
to an intelligent public?
In the first place, no one knows
that any bonds are to be issued.
The resolution passed by the 1919
legislature does not say so. 1t says
the legislature may issue bonds not
to exceed $50,000,000 if necessary.
1t will be entirely within discretion
of the representatives of the people
as to whether it will be necessary.
The idea is to give the state authority
to build and maintain roads now
dependent upon the county courts.
There is money already available
for this purpose but the state cannot
use it under the present constitution
Now, granting that the Legislature
should decide to issue bonds, certain
ly nothing like S50,000,00O would be
issued at once. 1t would not be
possible to spend more than ST..
100000 per year under the most
favorable conditions for road build
ing. The above writer assumes
that $50,000,000 would be issued al
once, and figures that it will require
$88,000,000 to pay this off in thirty
years, including $38,000,000 inter
est. Let US assume his figures are
correct. That would be an average
cost of about $2,900,000 per year
Gas a matter of fact it would be
much less because the bonds would
be retired each year thus decreasing
INTEREST," Let US consider this {
moment. How much are we nov
paying IN taxes per year on our mair
roads, under the present system
We are paying a Glass A levy o.
twenty-five cents, which amounts t,
$3,750,O00 annually on the $500,
100000 taxable valuation of tn,
State, and in thirty years we will
have paid SIP, 100000 direct ia,
or $24 100000 more than he esti
mates the bond issue will cost us an,
at the present rate of road improve
ment in West Virginia we will hav
very little permanent improvement
to show for it.
In other words under the presen
system the Counties will spend $112,
100000 of the tax payers none,
during which can be built by tn
State in from seven to ten years TO
$24 100000 less, by the proposes
plan. Furthermore will the Count
les build them at all? Some of tn
Counties will, undoubtedly, Blu
others will not and there will b
missing links in the system all owe
the State
Thus far we have considered tn
worst possible view of the situation
No bonds will be issued at all unles
the Legislature thinks it is necess
airy. 1t is highly improbable tina
the Legislature would consider
bond issue unless it provided fo
financing it from the revenues a
ready existing, such as the automc
bile tax, and in that event the a
mount of bonds issued would not ez
coed what this revenue could tax
care of. This is State tax create
for road purposes and can be use
as is provided in the proposed q
mendment. Have we not conf
dence enough in our representative
in the Legislature to entrust to ther
the proper handling of this matter
If not, then we have not a represent
alive form of Government.
After all, the main object of tn
Amendment is to make it possibl
for the State to build and maintai
a State wide system of roads cor
Meeting at least the County seats, i
order that we may have system o
hard surfaced roads such as Mary
land has. 1t is unfortunate that til
idea has gone forth over the Stat
that this is bond issue proposition
1t is not. As Governor Cornwell ha
stated, ut is MERELY A GRAN