Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-11-01
THE Zoe ROAD TAX

terests have waged a very active
propaganda in behalf of building
the Richmond Big Hill and Nc
kee Turnpike road. On August
IA, 1922, a mass meeting was
called of those citizens favorable
to the building Of this turnpike.
at the County Court House.
The proceedings of this meet
ing are recorded in the record
book of tn Fiscal Court-anI the
Fiscal Court has carried out all
the recommendations of sa d
mass meeting.
The Fiscal Court passed the
following orders:
In re-advisory and Citizens
Committee-The Cou1lty Judge
appoint the following Citizens
advisory Committee, to devise
plans to finance the building Of
the County's part Of the State
Aid projects-To wit: ten citi-
zens." All of whom l under
stand were favorable to the road
and bridge tax.
''In re-advisory Committee.
On motion Collins End, Burgin.
Ordered that census be taken
of the Fiscal Court and the ,ad-
visory Committee as to the best
Of the two ways OF building the
State-Aid projects, a Bond issue
OF $30O,000, or a special road tax
of zoe on the one hundred dol
lars for a period of six years
which resulted in four favor Of
the special Road tax pan"
In re-5pecial Road tax elec-
tion-On motion Upton 2n d
Burgin Ordered that County
Judge J, D. Goodloe. County
Road Engineer, ]. G. Baxter, and
County Attorney J. P. Chenault
compose a Committee to draw
up and formulate submission Of
the Road tax question to the
voters at the regular November
election. The above orders OF
the Fiscal Court are in my opin-
ion illegal null and void. Again
con motion Smith End Isaacs-
Ordered that this Court accept
State-Aid on the Richmond Big
Hill and Mckee project Evi-
dertly showing that the main if
not sole object of levying this
tax i, the building of the Big
Hill and Mckee turnpike. as no
other turnpiles are accepted by
the Fiscal Court"
In 1914 Fayette County voted
10000 in Bonds to construct
bridge across the Kentucky river
at or near Clay's Ferry-at the
same time Madison County vot-
ed $35,000 in Bonds for the same
purpose. Iii the order of sub
mission in the case of Mad son
County was inserted bridges or
roads, as in the present order OF
submission. On account of the
World War causing the increase
of cost, the bridge project was
abandoned.
After eight years the FiscgF'
Court has, | understand. diverted
the proceeds Of the sale of these
Bonds to the reconstruction OF
the Lexington turnpike.
1 understand from good au-
thority that the. contract price
for these I miles on the Lexing-
ton turnpike is $4,000. or SIS
714.2S per mile.
In my opinion the proposed
tax OF $3C0,OO0, to be collected
under the zoe tax will no more
than build the Richmond, Big
Hill and Mckee Turnpike. In
Judge Goodloe's article in The
Register of Oct. Seth, he says
that $50 1-2 miles of turnpike
has been designated as part OF
the State primary inter-county
seat roads. by act of the legisla-
ture at the 1920 session"
If the proposed $300,O00 should
be divided pro rata among all Of
these roads-they would receive
but $346.82 per mile. This pro-
posed tax is but an entering
wedge, and is not submitted i'll
good faith is my opinion. The
advocates of this tax are hoping
to receive the votes of small
property and whatthey designate
non-tax payers the latter are
non-existant. There are two
certain facts in this life-death
and taxation which none escape [
1t is more difficult for the small
property holder to pay his taxes,
than the more opulent-the non
property owner pays an indirect
tax. through increase of rent
and cost of living