Evening star., 1921-12-18
0NE-CENT GASOLINE.
TAX HELD CERTAIN
Maryland Auto Club Backing
State Officials to Get
Bill Passed.
Special Dispat atch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, December 17.-Fol-
lowing the adoption by the Automo-
bile Club of Maryland of resolutions
favoring the one-cent tax on gaso-
line, state officials sponsoring the
bill which will be presented to the
legislature next January are opti-
1itistic and can see no obstacle which
will keep the measure from becom-
ing operative on the first of June
next. when all laws passed by the
legislature become effective.
The automobile club not only went
on record as favoring the tax of one
cent a gallon on gasoline. in addition
to the present license fees. until the
deficit Of $1.200.000 incurred by the
state roads commission is eliminated,
but passed another resolution advo-
eating the substitution of a perma-
nent tax on fuel in lieu of the present
horsepower registration fee.
View of Club Members.
In favoring the permanent tax the
club was Of the opinion that it
would be more equitable and just
distribution of the expenses in build
ing and maintaining the state roads
than under the present horsepower
system. Further. it was pointed out,
motorists from neighboring states
coming into Maryland would aid in
the upkeep of the highways system,
which they do not do now, whereas
Marylander going into state
where there is a gasoline tax must
pay the same as residents.
In submitting the permanent gaSo-
line tax for the horsepower regula-
ton a plan would be worked out
whereby the revenues from the for
mer would equal those of the latter
up to a point where the tax would not
exceed two cents a gallon.
John N. Mackall, chairman of the
state roads commission and father of
the one-cent-a-gallon tax on gaSo-
line, is optimistic. probably to a
greater degree than any other state
of1cer interested in the proposed levy.
Il am glad to see that the plan IS
meeting such widespread approval
and the various civic organizations
are In favor of it," he said. but from
the beginning l have looked upon the
'fivver' owners and the 'countrymen'
in the state to put the bill across.
Flivver Owners OvercharEed.
THE 'fivver' owner occupies pc
culiar position with regard to all
cense tax he is charged just about
twice as much in proportion as any
other automobile owner. The man
with the high-powered car-which
passes the .flivver' easily on hill or
1evel-in many instances pays tax on
smaller horsepower than the owner
of the modest machine.
Then, too, comes the 'countryman.
His position is slightly different. The
real CONFERENCE.-The is the man
who farms and works hard-has not
much time to spend on the roads. no
matter what kind of automobile he
owns. However, he pays the same
license tax as the man who uses the
roads all the time. So with the 'fiv-
YER owners and the 'countrymen be-
hind the gasoline tax. according to
past performances in this fair state,
it will not tarry long in the ceremony
Of passing the legislature"
New Motor Truck Charge.
A plan for a differential charge on
motor trucks and other solid-tire mo-
tor vehicles in addition to the pro-
posed gasoline tax was worked out
also at a conference this week be-