Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-10-06
LOCAL ROADS TO
BENEFIT BY PLAN
Kandiyohi County viii Gain Thru
Adoption of Amendment No.
/, Figures Show

The following article has been wor-
ked out and is written by the Mime
sofa Highway Commission and sent
to the Willmar Tribune for publica-
ton:
"Kandiyohi 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 or
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 traf-
fic which is rapidly increasing road
requirements. Friends of the plan
present 1920 and 1921 comparisons
furnished by the state highway de-
partment in support of their claims.
Shows Local Gains
There are 1908 miles of public
roads in this county. The road money
this year includes $69,9S2 of county
and $57,200> of town taxes; $20,737 of
state and $4,000 of federal aid, also
$4,000 of bond revenue.
The grand total is $437,919 and an
proximately $358,039 of it is being
spent upon the trunk highways which
are to be taken over by the state.
Thus only $79,880 now is being
spent on the local roads.
Under Amendment No. /, however.
there will be available next year a.
bout $162,9O0 against the $79,S80 fig.
ure this year, gain of $4,000, with.
out issuing any bonds.
$15,000,000 for Local Roads
TO the larger 1921 fund, county tax
es will yield $4,000, township taxes
$4,000, and the state aid will add
probably $20,700 as this year. The
county-tOwn roads will measure 1,121
miles, with trunk highways taken over
by the state
Kandiyohi county will have gained
nearly $4,000 for use on the lateral
or farmer roads, without increases in
road taxes or issuing road bonds.
Altogether, Minnesota road funds
will aggregate $25, 100000 next wear
against less than $17,000,000 this year
and steadily increasing amounts will
be provided in succeeding years unde,
the proposed plan. The state will
have about $10,000,000 a year for the
trunk roads and the counties anC
town more than $15,000,O00 every veal
for local roads exclusively.
The benefits of the counties an(
towns at once are apparent from the
big gain in funds actually available
friends of the proposal maintain, anC
every road will be made a good roaC
in short order.
Increases Cash Gifts
Engineers report that the state by
spending $10,000,O00 a year durins
the next six years can properly grade
drain and gravel the entire 1000 mile
state system and also hard-surface
more than 1900 miles of those carry
ing the heaviest traffic. It will be
obliged first to put and keep ever,
mile of the system in good condition
and then, as funds permit and accord
ing to traffic demands, to use the sur
plus each year for permanent better
| ments
Kandiyohi county already is receiv
ing $160,737 of state and federal aid
| Advocates of Good Roads Amendment
| No. claim that the new plan will OF
the average double this gift from tn
outside. They explain that the pre-
posal "looks too good to be true" t.
some citizens, but recall that the sam
applied to the Bob Dunn 1-mill ia:
amendment. The fact is that all az
ditional funds will come from highe
motor vehicle licenses and fedora
aid, and that the automobile an
truck owners generally favor it. Que:
tons about Amendment No. will b
answered in this paper if briefly an
| clearly stated"