The Washington times., 1922-08-03
The Proposed
Gasoline Tax
BY BILL PRICE.

II
power of automobiles, the District
Commissioners are proceeding with
caution, and will ask the views, of
| District auto owners.
The, American Automobile Associ-
alton, which has long condemned
the attitude of Maryland in refusing
reciprocal arrangements to District
motorists in the use of Maryland
roads, favors the proposed new reci-
procity program as the nearest cut
to restoration of neighborly rela-
tions in auto traffic.
After various conferences be-
tween Maryland and District Of
ficials the situation is that Mary
land agrees that if the District will
substitute a gasoline tax of cents
instead of horsepower tax on and
after January l, 1924, that State
will wipe out the present taxes on
District automobilists. The District
is not to tax Maryland autoists, and
the only charge in either jurisdic-
ton will be 81 for license tags in
addition to the gasoline tax.
The "bug in the ointment is, of
course, Maryland fear that if the
District does not join in the gaso-
line tax large numbers of Mary
land people will come to the
District to buy their gasoline.
They would find it profitable to do
so, too, if close to the District. In
fact Marylanders already do this,
though the Maryland tax now is
/ cent a gallon in addition to the
already high taxes on horsepower
rating. Next year the Maryland
gasoline tax will be l cent a gallon
with no change in the taxes hereto
fore existing. By January l, 1924,
it is estimated that the Maryland
authorities will have gouged the au-
tomobilists sufficiently to drop the
horsepower taxes and depend
wholly upon the 2-cent gasoline
tax.
If the Commissioners can make
definite, iron-clad agreement with
Maryland for 1924 and afterward,
they must submit to Congress
recommendations for changes in the
present automobile license laws in
the District and obtain legislation
substituting gasoline charges. In
the mood in which Congress now
is toward the District, there is no
telling where that body will stop if
it takes the subject up. 1t may
follow the illustrious example of
Maryland in double-taxing auto
mobile owners by imposing both
gasoline and horsepower taxes.
Congress has been unfair to all
classes of District people and to all
District needs for a number of
years.
There may be some excuse in
Maryland for heavy additional
taxes. That State has splendid
public roads, all of them in far bet
ter condition than the roads in the
National Capital, which Congress
is supposed to take pride in.
1t has been estimated that the
substitution of gasoline tax of 2
cents a gallon in the District in
lieu of the present taxes would not
cost the average District motorist
any more than at present, provided
he purchases Maryland auto tags
each year. The average motorist, ac-
cording to A. A. A. figures, runs his
car about $500 miles year, using
approximately 500 gallons Of gas.
At 2 cents a gallon his gasoline tax
would be. $40. His license tag
would cost him 81, total of $11.
If Ford owner, the District tax
is now SO annually, the Maryland
tax 1880. Those who do not buy
Maryland tags would lose on the.
new arrangement.
Owners of large trucks, using
much gasoline, and not caring for
Maryland licenses, would be hit
hardest under a District gasoline
tax.
The subject is worth detailed
study, inasmuch as the proposed
change is bound to work some in
justices. In all probability, too, it
will increase the t"v"S of a majority
of District motorists.