The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-09-12
The State Highway Commissions Budget
And the S2,O 1000 Road Bond Proposal
BY RUPERT r. AsPLUND,
Director, Taxpayers Association Of New MEXICO.

certain receipts hat should not per-
haps be countcd Il is belic, I'd that
there Ia n total underestimate OF
revenues Tor the two years. 1920 and
1891. Of 100000.
?. The above estimate failed 20
take into the receipts from
gasoline licenses and tavca which for
1891 should amount 20 sses. 0so. and
Tor 1898 1aaa and 1871 % 100000
annually on the average Thea"
should. therefore. pc an additional
item of se2b. coo.
3. The nutcmobli, licenses. u Ia
believed. are under-cs;iuatcd by S?5,.
600 FOR 1921. Mr.. Gilett m y a.
his arguments hus estimated m an
nuai increase OF 20 per tent In
MUGS from automohii, iiccnsrs ana
from gasoline taxes. This annual ~
creas should yield n total for 1891,
1879, i22a m 1924 Of about $1,000
coo or about $3.50. 900 annually ON
the average. The departments cs;i-
mate " apparently $4,000 annually
the same as 1880. There would.
therefore. seem 20 re a total under
estimate on this item OF tsop 900.
4. No nccount mas been taken OF
county donations which In 1880
amounted e Si6O. O00. Then u siust
be kept in mind that special ievics
were made by the fifth legislature IN
a dozen different counties. the pro-
ceeds OF which will he expended upon
state roads In these counties by the
highway commission. These levics
will produce approximately s2b0.0O0
a year for 1929 and ie2a and 500. 600
In 1924. Surely II il safe to estimate
an average OF $780, 900 a year from
fhfa gRNFna FnR che gnFur NauFa INul IT,
is22 1929. 1924. or a total OF $780,
boo. In many cases the state high-
way commission ~ specifically auth
orized 10 eNpeni the proceeds OF these
lcvics In cooperation with iet"tal
authorities. Combining the four
items as to which we believe the
probable receipts are under estimated
In amounts stated. wa have a total
OF underestimate revenue amount
ing TO Si.625,0OO which will cover
the deficit Of 81. 275 600. and leave q
balance instead Of S35O.0o0 on Jan
uary !, 1925. Present federal allot-
ments are. therefore. in no danger.
In our Judgment, Of being lost 60 the
state n future allotments can be
taken care OF at the next session Of
the legislature. There g. no need Of
o. bond issue o. S2.OO0.0O0 % the
urtpo-0d constitutional amendment
40. ID should De NeiDutfNs
A. 10 the estimated expenditures
IL T. a general feeling. | believe. that
after a reasonable overhead has been
allowed for. the first item to be al
lowed for should be for maintenance
Of roads already constructed; the Soc
ond. to meet federal aid grants; ana
the third to construct roads other
than federal projects. In making up
its budget the highway department
Is providing for everything else first.
aud FOR federal aid projects last Ky
this method the budget can be made
10 show n deficit ~ almost any size,
The highway commission. therefore
has II within It's own power. cor
sidering the revenues available to
prevent a deficit In the funds necess-
AIRY TO meet federal aid allotments,
without a $4,000. 900 bond issue.
Very little has beer said about the
new federal aid road act which has
passed the United States senate, and
which. we are assured. viii be enact
cd into law. This will reduce New
MeNico's share In the cost OF federal
projects from so per cent TO 90 per
cent and will apply to an "unobligat-
cd or unmatched funds appropriated
by the federal act and payments Tor
approved projects upon which con-
struCtlun had not actually begun on
the 3Oth days OF June 1891" This
will release more than $500 GOO Of
state money to use In road construc-
ton other than federal projects
Furthermore the federal allotments
viii be available for expenditure 60
estimated receipts
tst.''' -bNf''"-@"
20 ............... o O.OOO.0 90