The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-11-27

TAX NOW
PROPOSED.
LICenseFeeS May be Boosted
tOheet Highway Depart
ment'S Demands

4NDIANAPoLIs. Ind. Nov. 27.
ne automobile as q subject Of spe
elal taxation IS expected 10 ae~',~l
largely in the deliberations ~ ~
next session Of the Indiana genera
assembly. Already members Of 49,
legislature, state officials ana conn
~ officials are discussing wavs an,i
means Of adding to revenues bv 4hd
following methods.
! A special tax Of / cent q ral1or
on gasoline used by motor vsb,cles#
in Indiana.
fees.
8. Increasing the license fees Of
automobile trucks
4. Imposing a terminal fee on
trucks entering Indiana from other
states
O. Special taxes on motor busses
and classing them as common car
rleTs which would place them under
the Jurisdiction Of the public service
commission
WOULD RAISE s5,OoO,Ooo
If proposals thus far advanced are
enacted into laws it is estimated
that approximately 100000 addi-,
.loha4 would be reased in Indiana
for highway or other purposes.
Administration officials are par-l
ticuiarly anxious that the increased
revenues should go into the state.
highway fund which would result in
a corresponding increase IN the
amount Of federal aid the conaris-
sion would receive.
q cleavage Of opinion, however.
has developed over the disposition
Of the proposed gasoline tax which
the legislature probably will be
called on to settle.
The County Commissioners Asso-
citation recently adopted resolutions
in favor Of a gasoline tax which.
although collected by the state.
would be returned to the county OF.
its origin for expenditure on the
county highways 1t is understood
a bill along this line will be drawn
for presentation to the general as
sembly.
On the other hand the state high
way commission, supported, It is
said. by the influence Of the admin
istration. will have drafted a bill
calling for the collection Of a gaso-
line tax which VIII 90 into the state
highway fund.
PROPOSED TAX ON GASOLINE
It is estimated that tax of
cent a gallon on gasoline consumed
by motor vehicles in Indiana would
raise approximately $500. 900 annu-
ally. Seventeen states already have
gasoline consumption taxes, two OF
which. Oregon and Maryland. exact
a tax OF , cents a gallon The
states having taxes OF ! cent a gal
l9n are Arizona. Arkan sas. Colorado.
Connecticut, Florida, Georgia. Ken
lucky Louisiana, Montana New
Mexico. North Carolina. Peunsvlva-
MIA. South Carolina, South Dakota
ard Washington. In all Of these
states the tax is collected by the
state government.
Some OF the Legislators, r. IS tadf-
Gated by the preliminary discussion
Of the proposed tax. may make an
issue OF the question whether the
state or the county is to be the unit
in receiving a tax OF ar article hith-
srto untaxed The great demand
for road building within counties is
expected to make the commission
ers' stand one Of formidable proper
tions. probably supported by q con-
tractors lobby.
The proposal to double tho pres.
ent license fee for pleasure motor
vehicles Is expected to meet some
opposition from the so-called farm
bloc" which probably will play an
important part IN the coming sas-
sion Reports from the rural dis
aricts received by administration Of
fcials are to the effect that the
farmers, although desirous Of more
ana better built roads. feel that a
doubled license fee would make the
operation Of their cars 100 costly.
Some asseE blymen believe that a
ENl be e essaTy
whereby only q slight increase on
the license fees would be made
INDIANA LICENSE FEE Low
Indiana. with an average license
zee Of slightly more than SIS. has the
lowest rate Of any state east Of the
Mississippe river and only five
states in the Union-Arizona. Colo
ado. Kansas, Louisiana, and South
9akota-have a lower fee. The av-
srare for machines OF 25 horse pow
er is s14.90 in the whole country
and the Indiana fee is IS per cent
~ .ba = average