The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-14
FOR CITIES ALSO
League of Municipalities Is for
Car Tax Law Change.
Revenue Would Return to City
From Whence 1t Came.
By The Associated PressJ

Lawrence. KAN, Aug. 1.-THE
League OF Kansas municipalities,
meeting in Topeka recently, appointed
a committee to draft legislation aim
ing at amending the present statutes
50 as to provide that "a share" of the
motor vehicle license fees collected in
a city may be turned back TO that city
Instead of being paid into special and
state road funds, as now required.
The state automobile license law
requires all automobile license fees to
be paid to the county treasurer, VINO
an turn sends so cents of each fee to
the secretary of state and places the
remainder of all license fees in a spe-
cial road drag fund and the state aid
road fund
The leagues committee was in
structed to present whatever legisla-
ton it may draft TO the annual con-
vention of the organization at Pitts
burg, october IL, Is and 1S. Tor tlnal
action by that body before it is put
before the 1923 legislature.
League Gives Reasons.
Following are some of the reasons
given by the league and announced
by John G. Stutz, secretary, why the
league believes municipalities are en-
titled to a share of these fees:
1.-THE motor vehicle fee is not
tax, but in effect is a service charge
for the use of the streets and high
ways OF a sum presumed to be only
sufficient to cover the wear and tear
resulting to the streets and highways
of the state for such use, together
with the cost of issuing the license,
furnishing tags and enforcing the OBJ
gerFance of the various regulations
prescribed by law. This being the
basis of the charge, the cities believe
the revenue derived should be appOr-
toned in harmony with the ground
upon which the tax is levied
"2-The bulk of the revenue from
the fees comes from the urban resi-
dents of the state.
93-Automobile traffic is heaviest
on the city streets and city pavements
are therefore subjected to great wear
and tear by trucks and other motor
vehicles
Makes Upkecp High.
"4-The automobile has greatly in
creased the cost of city government
and will be responsible for some time
TO come for continuing increase.
fa) The automobile is spreading
urban population over greater area
than heretofore, necessitating paved
streets, sewers, water, lighting, police
and fire protection and all the other
normal city improvements and con-
veniences. These increasing demands
are greatly increasing the administra-
tive expense and construction work in
many cities; (b) The truck is increas-
ing cost of construction and main
tenance of city pavement Until re-
Gently a four or siX-inch base under
city pavements was sufficient. Now
cities are being forced 10 provide six,
eight, ten and even twelve-inch bases.
(cJ The tremendous increase in the
use of motor vehicles. both for pleas
ure and business, has brought with it
an ever increasing problem of traffic
accommodation and regulation CAD
The work that police departments
have been relieved OF as result OF
prohibition has been more than offset
by the time they are forced to spend in
running down auto thieves and recOv-
eNinC stolen cars.
4e) Another cause for increased
city expenditures for which the auto
mobile must be held responsible is the
tendency to regard the motor vehicle,
especially the delivery truck, as an all
the-yeor-rOund necessity As result,
all cities must now keep at least their
main thorofares clear of snow. In
some years this would be very costly.
(f) Cities are now prohibited by law
from taxing or licensing any motor
vehicle, except those offered to the
public for hire, (Ses. 2SS, Motor We
hfcle Law). Therefore. they cannot
obtain any revenue from the automo-
bile TO meet the increase in the tax
burden for which this class Of vehicle
is responsible.
City Should Share.
"6-One reason advanced in favor
of excluding cities from sharing
portion of the revenue from autOmo-
bile fees is that the state needs the
money for the maintenance and the
counties must have it for the construc-
ton and maintenance of state and
town highways. The only other rea-
son given Is that the city benefits in
directly because urban automobiles
use the rural highways more than the
rural residents do; that If the state
and county pay for maintenance and
construction by a direct state tax. the
city taxpayers would pay the greater
part. and that the Improvement OF
rural highways improves and cheap.
ems the cost of transportation of food
products to the cities These argu-
nents are admitted but they are moi
SO important as their sponsors would
have us believe There is a relation
ship between the rural and urban dis
tricts which must be maintained and
continued and which would not be i'm
paired IL the city received a share of
the automobile license fees"