The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-05-28
HOW TO BUILD GOOD ROADS
Commissioner McRae's Suggestion--
A Small Tax on Gasoline and
License Tax on Cars and
Trucks

/
fer road building, these bonds to be
/ liquidated by direct State tax on
real estate and personal property.
We have come TO the time, however,
when good roads are public neces~
sity in all Of the counties of Florida,
and, in fact, all rural development is
dependent on good roads.
! The following is a plan ! wish to
suggest for raising sufficient amount
of money to give the whole State Of
| Florida a system Of good roads with
out placing a penny of tax on real
estate and personal property.
The Oil Inspection Division Of the
/ Department of Agriculture, with one
eighth of cent per gallon on gaso-
| line, kerosene, etc. will put into the
| State Treasury this year approx
mately $4,000. Change this tax to
L cent per gallon and the sum would
| be 100000 The automobile license
tax will approximate this year S400
600 If properly regulated, this tax
would reach 100000, thus making
total of $1,000,000 per annum from
these two sources.
The average of eight hundred State
cOnvicts on the public roads. at a
value of $500 each per annum, is
equal to 100000 in labor Bond the
State for S20000,O00. The United
States Government would supplement-
for an equal sum, thus giving s20.000,-
| 600 more to meet the States bond
issue.
Counting the s200O0010 that would
be derived from a State bond issue.
non An
labor value of the State cOnvicts.
for period of ten years will give
grand total of S44. 100000 for q system
of State highways.
BY abOlishing the lease system Of
County cOnvicts, we would have an.
average of 1900 laborers. worth $500
each per annum. This would add S.
100000 worth OF labor for the period
of ten years.
II all of this s40.0O0.OO0 in money
end the S1O.4O0.000 in labor was avail
able for use under the State Road De
p2rtment. we would have at the end
Of ten years a system Of public roads
in Florida not eQualed by any State
in the Union
The 100000 tax on motor vehic-
les and gasoline will pay an annual
interest of ) per cent on the $4,000
600 of State bonds. The increase in
population and better road system
will increase this tax sufficiently to
retire this $20.0000O0 in % years.
This plan would do away with the
two-mill State road tax we now have
and there would be State tax reQuir-
ed on our real estate and personal
property to pay the interest on the
bond issue, and liquidate the same in
the period of % years.
There are 10000 farms in Florida.
From these farms we market in
perishable. staple and live stock. TO-
600 carloads Of products. or approx
mately 100000 tons. Counting ey-
cess and delay it would cost at least
$1.00 per ton more to get these pro.
ducts TO market over poor roads than
over good roads. This means a di-
rect cost to the producer of $1.4O0.O00
per annum. This cost must be added
to the consumers price. so it affects
everybody The wear and tear of
vehicles, extra feed and gasoline, will
amount to another 100000. Good
roads then. means a direct gain to the
producers of the State of not less than
I 100000 per annum in marketing
farm and grove products alone. This
50 000, 600 loss is enough TO paw every
farm mortgage in the State IN three
years. to say nothing Of the moving
to market OF many millions Of dollars
worth of poultry, live stock and other
products that would be hauled a0nu-
1 ely over system CT good State
roads
Education is the transferring IN.
fluence OF the world and The basis OF
all progress. Agriculture Is also
basic. Upon il rests the commerce cf
the world and even civilization.
Good roads are the veins through
which flow TIE very LIES blood Of
education, agriculture and commerce
Good roads are one OF the great
sources Of life TO any country. and
with better education. better agricul-
ture and good roads Florida viii come
into her own in a decade. Having
been born and reared On a Florida
farm. and having had considerable ex-
perience in farm work, and having
had experience in the work of Ied'l-
cation. in Florida. and knowing the
State of Florida as but few men know
lit. have for some time been conyi0c
ed that Florida's future largely de-
ponds on three things. viz: Better
Schools, Better Agriculture and Better
Roads
In sending out my good roads adj
dress to the Press and Boards Of
Trade OF the State | used the follow
ling letter Of transmittal
Dear Sir:
/ I hand you herewith an extract