Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-06-09
TRINKLE'S VIEWS ON
ROAD BOND ISSUE

| on the question OF the Roau BONO
Issue in Virginia, and the re-organi-
cation If the Highway Department
'sSome weeks ago | gave out q
statement of my views on the reor,
ganizatio of the Highway Depart
ment of Virginia, being, so far as
] know, the first statement made by
any candidate on this subject.
wish now to reiterate the statement
then made, that am an earnest
advocate Of good roads and that no
one coula be more sincerely inter-
ested in the road development of the
Ccmmonwealth of Virginia than !
am; and this have always endcav-
ored to evidence both as member
of the Senate of Virginia and as a
private citizen.
~ realize that a comprehensive
system Of good roads is absolutely
essential for a speedy ana complete
develops :ent Of our State. and that
the demand for increasei transpor-
tation facilities is upon US and must
be met. It is my purpose and desire
to devote my very best eforts to-
ward TIE development Of adequate
road facilities; but, great as my de-
sire is for speedy road construction,
I feel that we should no! be forget
full of conditions as they now exist
and sho:iid keep ourselves we'll with
in the limit of the ability of our
people t. bear the cost with out rea
sonab:n burden, and within the ca
pacity os the Highway Department
TO economically and efficiently con-
struct End maintain the roads; real
;zing that the maintenance of our
roads after their construction is
fully as essential as the constrac-
ton itscf; and that in addition to
State taxation for road purposes the
people are also called upon for coun
" and city taxes for the construction
and maintenance Of their local roads
and streets.
81 find it by investigation that Vir-
ginia's funds for road construction
and maintenance during the fiscal
year ending September goth, 1921,
amount to the sum of $12,412 T21-
81, (this sum including the Federal
Add. | further find that the Audi
tor conservatively estimates thst
the income for road construction and
maintenance for the fiscal year end
ing Sertember Goth, 1922. Mil be
$3.50, 900. 90; and for the fiscal
year # chding September Goth, 1923,
the sincome for the same purposes
will be 1850, 900 90. II is fair to
state that the Auditor in making up
the above estimate hastfigured on
the basis that the Federal Aid will be
continued as. it now is: In,;other
words, Virginia will have the sum
of s27,712,721. 81 to speni Tor road
construction and maintenance dur
ing the years 1921, 1922 and 1923.
1T is also true that the reduction
which has already come in the cost
Of road construction and mainten-
ance with the possibility of still
further reduction in, the future, will
allow considerable increase in mile
age 10 be constructed with available
funds over and aboye what was or
ieinally anticipated. ,,; i
81 believe that with these large.
funds available, and under existing
business and financial conditions, it
would not be wise for me to recon-
mend tc the next General Assembly
that any bill should be passed COM
mitting Virginia to bond issue Of
s50,0e0,0O0. 90. or any other fixed
amount. ;.
"Not only have the people of ,Vir-
EiHIa, III SiStiiS lheli CSiElludleS "
the House of Delegates this year,
the opportunity to indicate their de-
s:res as to bond issue; uut I would
further remisi the people of the
State that in the fall of 1923 they
will haze to elec. the entire Gen
eral Assembly for the session begin
.n:ng in January, 1924, and they
can then give a further expression
Of their wishes as to the road bond
issue through the election of the
members of both branches of the
Geenral Assembly; and in this way a
full expression of the people may
be had a. that time under the condi-
tons as they may then exist.
|. Il believe that the present bpr-
Gen of county, city, State and Fed