The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-11-16
NEW LEGISLATION Is AD-
VOCATED
Report Made by the Legislative
Committee of the Wisconsin
County Boards Association.

The total highway expenditures in
Wisconsin in 1922, State, County and
Township, will amount to in round
numbers $s7 ,0be,O0Q. OF this
amount, $4,O00,OOO is paid by motor
vehicles owners, $3,582,000 cdmes
from indirect taxes and $50, ,494, 900 is
paid ON the real and personal pro-
perty of the state.
That this distribution Of the cost
Of road improvement is inequitable
and unjust, throwing too large a
share Of the burden of the tax on
real and personal property-the mo-
tor vehicles paying about 1920 and
general property 909o-and that the
motor vehicles should foot about one
third of the bill, or $i0,s00,0 reliev-
ing general property Of this amount
Of taxes is the outstanding recon-
mendation of the Legislative Com
mittee of the WISCONSIN County
Boards Association which is being
sent to every member of a county
board OF the state.
The report proposes to remedy the
matter by removing the following
general property taxes and substi-
tuting in their stead imposts on mo-
tor vehicles:
The state general property tax
heretofore levied to meet the federal
aid. This would amount to $2,200,-
600 each year in che three year period
beginning next year.
The taxes levied by the counties
for maintenance of roads. This
amounts to approximately 81 ,700, ?
900 q year. The full cost Of main
tenance would be borne by the motor
vehicles.
One-half the cost of maintaining
county organizations, 100000.
Surveys to locate road materials,
e25,0sO.
Roads in and to state parks $780,
600.
State aid for roads and bridges,
$685., 600. This is now taken from
the general fund.
IN addition to eliminating these
general property taxes, the commit
) tee favors change in the law so that
state trunk highways would be
built wholly with federal and state
funds and that counties would
not be required to pay one-third
share, as at present. This would
relieve the counties of raising ST.
!. 100000 a year under the increased
federal aid available.
To take the place of these taxes
eliminated and raise funds to con-
tinue the road program the commit
tee recommends the following:
A 2To tax on the value Of motor
vehicles to be paid to the secretary
of state and take the place OF the
present property tax. As the aver.
age personal property rate is .02s
Shroughout the state this would moi
increase the taxes Of the average
personal property tax payer. The
valuation of the cars would be fixed
by the secretary Of state and it j
suggested that it be 900 OF tht
cost new the first year, 7O9o ths
second year, 500 the third year.
A change in the present motor
vehicle license law whereby insteat
of fiat rate of $1,000 the rate wo'ilt
be graded on the basis of SOC hun
dred weight. Under this arrange
ment a Ford car would pay $7.Ot
and the license would be graded &C
cording to weight. This is not al
additional impost but a change il
the method of licensing.
A considerable increase and gra
duated fee on heavy motor truck
and buses, averaging 81 for ever
hundred weight of vehicles and Q
load. The committee holds tina
these vehicles are highly destructiv
of road and should, in measurabl
degree, pay part of the expense the
create, and that public sentiment d.
mands this increase.
The final recommendation Is a ia
of &c a gallon on gasoline used
motor vehicles on highways, wit
q provision for refund of the ia
on gasoline used for agriculture
manufacturing or other purposes.
is held that gasoline consumption I
motor vehicles indicates better ths
any other known method the weigh