Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-04-05
TAXPAYERS GET
IDEAS TWISTED
Fail to Absorb Facts Regarding Fed
eral Aid Highway Funds. Men,
Der State Highway Com
mission Explain.
NO TAX ON GRADING AND
DRAINING OF PRIMARY ROADS
Work is Paid For Out of Federal and
Auto License Funds-Petition
OF Taxpayers in Lucas
County Brings Com
plete Explanation.

IL Des Moines, Iowa-The circulation
II of a petition in Lucas county re
p questing the board Of supervisors to
: discontinue work on the primary
: roads for "a period of -wo years has
T. called forth a statement from state
I Highway Commissioner William Col
" lin3on, of Charlton, which is attract
ing considerable attention from good
road advocates.
Commissioner CollinSon makes it
clear tina. the work Of grading, drain
ing and bridging of THE. primary
roads is paid for by the county's
share of automobile license fees and
federal aid money entirely. Hence
to stop IN work would make no
difference in the amount of taxes
paid by property owners.
Under the primary road law"
explains the highway commissioner,
''there was crea.ed a system of roads
known as the primary road system,
and there was also created fund for
the improvement of this system,
which fund is made Up of motor il
cense fees, to which fund every one
who owns a motor vehicle of any
kind or character in this state con-
tributes, and also Iowa's share of
the appropriation made by congress
| TO the states for the improvement of
roads of this character in all Of the
states.
"This is commonly known as the
federal aid appropriation, and previ-
Gus to 5his year the share of this
state in the federal aid appropria-
ton has been nearly S3,000,000 per
annum This year, under the $780,
100000 appropriation, our federal aid
was $2,1O0,000, so that it will be
understood at once that the primary
road fund is made up of motor lie
ense fees and federal aid and no5h-
ing more.
There is at this time an unex-
pended balance of this fund in the
state of Iowa of about S15,000,000,
all of which is available for con-
struction in the state of Iowa this
year, and can be used for the pur
pose of the primary road system and
for no other purposes. If we 90 not
spent >his money in road work this
year it will mean that the money
will lay idle in the banks Of the
state and in the treasury q. Wash
ington.
Coming down to our own county,
if our board of supervisors should
4 have refused % use this county
= share Of the primary road find this
e year, which will be in the sum OF
5 $4,000, w.tLout anticipating future
allotments, it would mean that We
should have a balance to our credit
on the books of the state highwa!
g commission for which we Will no
e receive, as a county, one cent of in
terest. Nor does it mean that thi
money will not be spent. 1t merel.
K. means that it VIII not be spent il
this county, for, under the law, an.
county that desires to go ahead wit
its primary road improvement hey
ond the amount of the allotment TO
the current year may make applica
= ton for a projeo: in anticipation o
- its next years allotment. Thes
-, applications are granted by the com
mission when ever it is apparent tina
there is such balance in the fun
for the current year as will peIni
the use of the fund in excess Of tn
current allotment for that county
for the commission is careful to Sc
that no county shall be deprived o
ar its share of the fund for the curren
a year if it desires to proceed with tn
J improvement of its road system"
h Commissioner Collinson furthe
pointed out that between 50 and 9
per cent of the money paid out TO
n this work of grading, draining an
y bridging of roads went into the peck
cts of wage eaners.
The benefit derived from the con
struction Of primary roads from thi
"" existing fund are two-fold," he SAID
- ave are providing labor for tho5
, who would otherwise be Out IF wor
n and we are building a modern high
= way on the most important roads j
= our county of such pemanency a
will contribute to the common wei
J. fare, not only of this generation, bu
of the generations yet to follow"
---O-
Bring Your Grist.