The star-progress., 1921-05-04
SANDERS PLAN TO
BUILD ROADS SAYS
PAY AS YOU CO.
Proposed Amendments to
Ordinance Flattened by
The Steam Roller
TAX ON GAS AND CARS
TO PAY HIGHWAYS
Will Map Out Unique Plan
to Gridiron Entire State
With Modern Roads

FOTm6r GOVSTnOF SduuNTS pla1 10
build highways throughout the state
by the "pay-as-you-go" plan had easy
sailing in the constitutional conYen-
ton, and with slight amendments will
be written in the new organic law Of
Louisiana. Dozens of amendments
offered by dozens of delegates were
smashed flat by the mighty steam
roller and in despair the opponents
Of the general provisions Of the plan
gave up and let the proposition 90
through.
There will be no bond issue under
this plan and no tremendous annual
interest to meet, for the funds for the
road building system viii be raised
annually by the imposition Of grad
ed tax ON pleasure cars and trucks
and a fiat tax of two cents per gal
lon on all gasoline sold for use in
these and other vehicles. This tax
on gasoline viii be collected at the
source OF gasoline manufacture and
not from the individual. In other
words, the plan of collecting win be
simplified by going 10 the oil ref:n-
cries and telling them to come across
with two cents per gallon ON their
product sold within this state, and
that huge sum viii go to the big road
building fund. The owners OF cars,
trucks, tractors, mOtoFboats, etc., VIII
pay an annual license to the state
and this immense sum will also be
added to the road fund. The aggre-
gate amount thus collected will be
expended on constructing highways
in the state.
All main trunk highways, like the
.Pershing, Jefferson and Spanish
Trail, will be linked up with branch
roads, thus affording practically ey-
eryone easy access to the main art
cries of travel and able to reach any
given point at any time OF the year
! irrespective of weather conditions.
It will require a number Of years
to complete the plan as roughly
sketched out, but the plan is feasible
and the fact that it will be paid foI
cash as the work is accomplisnea
should appeal strongly to the peopl'
of the state AS stated, the people
will not be called upon to authorize
bond issue, but each owner Of car
truck, tractor, etc, will pay his stiD
end into the general road fund ant
the entire amount collected in a Civ
en- year will be used to construcl
a given amount of highway, and wheI
the amount on hand is expended worl
will cease until the following year
tax and license fund is collected, ant
then the work will be resumed, and
so on throughout the years until th'
entire system is finished,
Louisiana has taken lead in road
building among the states Of th'
south and the unique system proposes
by Mr.. Sanders viii keep it in tn
lead, and that, too, without imposing
on the people of the state burden o
debt represented by principal and in
terest of bond issue to take care Q
road construction. The average ta1
payer when he votes to authorize I
/ bond issue never realizes the aggre
gate amount he will have to pay Il
principal and interest, even at tn
low rate OF five per cent. II he wi
scan the schedule of bond issue OF
Iy casually he will soon find that IN
total runs up in amazing figures
Governors Sanders plan to pay a
you &c" will eliminate these dis
agreeable features and when the wor
is accomplished there will be no II
ture debts to meet-it viii have a.
been met as the roads were built.