The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-08
COUNTY ROADS BENEFIT
GAIN FUNDS THROUGH
BABCOCK PLAN
Official Figures Show That Adop-
ton of Amendment No. |
Will Aid Highways

Blue Earth county roads Like those
In many other counties, are growing
gradually poorer in spite Of recent
increases in road taxes.
Good Roads Amendment No. 1 is
designed to solve the problem of bet
ter maintaining and improving roads
without further increasing taxes OF
issuing road bonds as is being done
in many states. The plan will &C
complish this, it is explained, mainly
by relieving the counties of the up
keep of main highways and placing
that heavy expense on the motor
traffic which is rapidly increasing
road requirements. Friends of the
plan present 1920 and 1921 compari
sons furnished by the state highway
department in support of their claims.
Shows local Gains.
There are 1920 miles of public
roads in this county. Road money
this year includes $131,044 of county
and $57,646 of town taxes; $34,5O3 of
state and $4,000 of federal aid.
The grand total is $273,193 and ap-
proximately s174,16o of it is being
spent upon the trunk highways which
are to be taken over by the state.
Thus only $99,033 now is being
spent on the local roads.
Under Amendment No. 1, however,
there will be available 6 next year
about $252,146 against the $99.O3s
hgure this year-a gain of $153,113
without issuing any bonds.
$15,000,000 for Local Roads.
To the larger 1921 fund, county
taxes will yield 100000 township
taxes $4,000 and the state aid will
add probably $34,5O3 as this year.
The county town roads will measure
1424 miles, when trunk highways
are taken over by the state. a..
Blue Earth will have gained near
or farmer roads, without increases in
road taxes or issuing road bonds
Altogether Minnesota road funds
will aggregate 25,OOO,0O0 next.year,
against less than $17,0OO,0OO this
year, and steadily increasing amounts
will be provided in succeeding years
under the proposed plan The state
will have $10,000,00O a year for the
trunk roads and the counties and
town more than $15,O00,O00 every
year for local roads exclusively.
The benefits to the counties and
towns at once are apparent from the
Oi6 gain III IuuuS ACTUALLY dVdnaDle,
friends Of the proposal maintain, and
every road will be made a good road
in short order
Increases Cash Gifts.
Engineers report that the state
by spending $10,000,000 a year during
the next six years can properly grade,
drain and gravel the entire 1000 mile
state system and also hard surface
rytng the heaviest traffic. 1t will be
obliged first to put and keep every
mile OF tht system in good condition,
and then, as funds permit and &C.
cording to traffic demands, to use the
surplus each year for the permanent
betterments.
Blue Earth county already is re-
ceiv1ng $84,603 of state and federal
AID. Advocates of Good Roads
Amendment No. claim that the new
plan will on the average double this
grit from the outside. They explain
that the proposal looks too good to
pc true to some citizens, but recall
mat the same applied to the Bob
Dunn 1-mill tax amendment. The
fact that all additional funds will
come from higher motor vehicle H.
censes and federal aid, and that the
automobile and truck owners gener-
ally favor It. Questions about Amend
ment No I will be answered in this
paper If briefly and clearly stated.