The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-02-02
ROAD AUTHORITY

to the future of highway building authority in our state Opon
= one side is the conviction that economy, efficiency and results can
only be had from continuance of centralized authority, as now repre-
sentcd by the state highway commission-and by the further extern
sion of the authority of that commission over all road expenditures
A number of members. in both houses, whose sincerity and good
citizenship are beyond question, favor a return to county ana even
TO a local or precinct control of road building and maintenance; upon
the theory that all road funds raised by taxation should be expended
in the community taxed, and as that community desires, without re-
gard to its n%cighbors. II is held 10y these latter that centralized an'
thoriy has tended to destroy local road services that overhead cx-
penses are unnecessarily high; that some communities get road i'm.
provcmcnt and others do not. that results from the centralized d'ree'
ton are slow IN arriving.
There is some measure of truth in all of the above; but no more
than is true of road construction in every state in which the federal
aid program has been undertaken. In fact the overhead cost of high
way management in New Mexico has been proportionatcy lower than
in any of the states that have embarked upon a program of real high
way construction. We have not been building highways on today
basis for very long. All Of the problems of management have had to
he worked out and in a period when every item entering into con
structon and maintenance costs has been higher than ever before.
The results obtained in New Mexico have been excellent better
in proportion TO the population served, we believe, than in almost
any other state in the union II is true that every community in
every county has not been reached by the construction gangs of a
state highway plan. This is the fourth of the states in area. 1t is
right at the tail end in population. Many years will pass before the
whole vast region of mountain and plain is served by good roads
The same conditions prevail more or les. in every western state.
II is probable that we will find it necessary to contract our high.
way building program TO some extent, and to extend It over a longer
period. The times and the tax rate demand that. On the other hand
there is more than a good chance that federal aid for this and other
public land states will soon be on q faircr basis that whereas we now
must spend a dollar for every federal dollar we get for roads, we may
have to spend but 30 cents for every federal dollar, That would be
fair in view of the vast area of federal land and reservation our high
ways serve.
This and all federal aid must be abandoned if we return to the
local management of highway funds and operations. We will simply
drop ont of the running in road building, just a We are getting
started. We do not believe that there could ever be a return to the
old outrage of the politically appointed precinct road boss But 1t
is absolutely certain that the abandonment Of centralized highway
authority will end amy effective highway building and that wastes
far greater than amy ever known under centralized direction, will be
the result
Local dissatisfaction with state highway policy and management
should not be permitted to disrupt an efficient system and replace II
with one VIII, Sc record is barren of results and hopeless of promise
We can improve the centralized system, make it more efficient and
pyolusfiy. w st mayor hpIa for th1 ot f. he mn or
local system Of management but local favoritsm and petty politics
When moved by local Dissatisfaction with the centralized road
management we are likely 10 forget all the years during which we
paid road taxes, which were spent under local authority, without
plan or result save an utter waste Of the money We see only what
appeals to MS as the injustice Of the moment and we do not look ahead
10 the perfected system of highly efficient management and the re-
suits that are bound 10 come if we persist in a bHincSshkc policy,
There are some counties, we are informed, in which dsSatlstac-
ton with the centralized authority is more or less general. This is
reflected, undoubtedly, in the stand Of those members of the lcgiSla'
ture who oppose IT Generally, we believe, the people are united in
support of the state commission plan and favor extension of IFS au-
ihority Certainly all Of MS who pause to consider the record care.
fully and fairly will agree that all the results we have had from cx-
pcndturc of tax money have come under centralized authority.
II is certainly unnecessary to remind tn" republican members of
the legislature that one Of the strong plankS put into its platform in
The last campaign was that vigorously approving centralized author
ity in highway construction and promising continuance of that pol
icy; and that the public response 10 that pledge was instant and en-
thusiastic.
If there is anything in the present state highway commission plan
that is not functionug propcrly-hx il, But do not abandon, in the
slightest part, Il buSIueSSIkc system Of highway building, manage
ment and upkeep that has demonstrated its capacity to produce re-
ing clarity It's capacity for-wastc, without a shadow of results.
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