Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-09
Editors Letter Box
Pending Federal Road Act as At
fectina Maine Road Laws

There is at the present time In
passage iE Congress an Amendment
to the Federal Road Act granting
additional aid to the several states
The method of allotment is the
same as ir previous Amendments.
SO Maine will get IL of the sum al
lowed. or S750,0O0 The provisions
of this Amendment are radically
different in the distribution of
moneys from previous Acts. 1t pro-
vides that the moneys shall be ex-
pended upon not more than re of
the road mileage of the State and as
we have in Maine approximately
%, 600 miles of road, this means
that We can designate about 1850
miles to receive Federal Aid
This money is to be expended:
60fe (S450,000) upon the Interstate
or Trunk lines and 400 $500 10000
upon secondary or Intercounty
, roads. a classification which cor
responds to our State Aid System
-Four seventh of the mileage 1000
! miles) is to be secondary roads and
81 1850 miles) trunk lines You
will see from this that the principle
of distribution of State and Federal
funds as recognized by the last Leg
islature has been incorporated in
this Federal Act; and as at present
we have no law that would allow
the setting aside of money to match
Federal Aid for State Aid roads, we
could not avail ourselves of the fund
If the amendment were rejected
The United States government in the
future will grant Federal aid only
to those roads that are maintained.
We have been at loss to under
stand why it is that our Highway
Department which only last winter
seemed so destitute of maintenance
fund and in 1920 financing of this
department were obliged to borrow
S11S,0O0 from 1921 Automobile Reg
istration Fees and take 500 GOO
from the contingent fund should feel
at the present time. without any
new sources of revenue except the
annual increase in the Automobile
Registration Fees. that they have
sufficient funds to properly maintain
roads already constructed But tipon
inquiry, it was learned that the
methods of finances provided last
year are again to be followed only
as they need more money, (haNing
no balance with which to start
they will have to take the first six
months of 1922 Registration fees to
pay for this years maintenance
claiming. that ii is merely a matter
OF bookkeeping and as the books do
not have to be balanced until July
Both, 1922. CHE end of our fiscal
year,. that this method Of financing
is proper and satisfactory But las
the moneys will be all expended in
maintaining roads before the first of
November. we hardly think that
patrolmen and other road worke RS
will be inclined to wait till the
tide of money from Registration
fees has set in and the only aterna-
tive ID to use tie States credit until
such time as the funds are available.
This shifting of our fiscal year
from January to July enables the
department TO get practically all
! the registration fees for three years
in two, praying that the next Legis-
/ lature, by direct taxation will re-
! lieve them from their dilemma
! We might ask why not accept the
Constitution amendment which is
to be acted upon the 18th of this
month. as this amendment and ac-
companying laws so regulates tie
expenditure of all road moneys by
nd bn
bond moneys are to go for new con-
struction and the balance of the
automobile fees and the mill of di-
rect taxation is available of mainte-
nance. This amendment simply adds
the words. state Aid" to that part
of the Constitution. which specifies
where certain bond moneys are to
be expended. and releases the money
which formerly was used by the
state for State Aid construction for
maintenance purposes, thus clarity
ing the laws and without additional
! taxation lays the ground for future
road development. without the need
OF constant revision and amendment
with its resulting confusion. You
will see by this that the opinion held
by some that this amendment at
tempts to use money for mainte-
nance purposes is erroneous It, on
the contrary, recognizes as proper
financing, that bond money or any
money whose repayment is to cover
a term of years should be expended
upon works. the life of which will at
least be as long as the time Of pay
ment and that the wear and tear of
our roads will be met by yearly tax
alton.
II. y. GRANVILLE
Don't Leave the Cat to Starve
To the Editor of Kennebec Journal:
Will YOU grant me space in your
paper in which to express the hope
that people returning to the city
from their summer homes will not
leave their pets to starVe apd freeze
during the winter. 1t is, brutal