The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-02
ROAD SYSTEM, NOT BONDS

There is much truth aud virtue in |.
the suggestion OF the Bennington Ban .
ner that If the state were TO take the I
same amount OF money II would have (,
to appropriate to pay the interest on .
twenty-million dollar bond issue I
, and provide sinking fund, II could
20 ahead with u much extended road 1
srogram, do almost all the work /
that could be done in our limited
season and avoid borrowing money.
That is. if the million dollars and
better per necessary TO finance
bond issue-were 50 appropriated
and used efficiently each year. we
could take care OF the advanced road
program and not issue any bonds. On u
! the other hand we have the word of
some pretty, good fnapciers that a
bond issue OF ten millions for in.
stance, could be financed cnt of a d..
rect state tax of iorty cents of the I
grand list or by q twosent gasoline
Ia
The proposition for direct tax
may as we be dismissed in advance, |
as the legislature OF 1928 would be
rccrSant TO IT, constituents II II un-
dertook 10 increase or even TO con-
t.nue a state tax. and of course gas.
o'ine tax merely al its the burden.l
4 million doia.s wgst come out OF
the people somewhere, the only
difference. is that the direct tax
comes out OF all with pretty fairly
eluitably distribution. the gasoline
tax comes out OF the owners of au.
tcm0bies. As matter OF public
honesty the way to finance bond is
sue or an extensive bodybuilding pro.
gram is ny means of a direct tax as
4 matter Of political cxpediency and
camcdfa2e the indirect method ap.
pea more strongly.
1t is not. however necessary TO is.
sue bonds immed ately In any sucn
amount as ten million. even though a
bond issue shou be desided upon by
the legislature Not over million or
2 million and hat of state money
could he spent in any one year In
roadbuiding. and this amount could
10 raised w TAXATION almOst as cas-.
~ as raising tho interest and princi.
val payments on bond issue. Why
then issue bonds?
What Vermont needs. even more
than money, is Il s,a;c sy.,cn of
roads butt according TO scientific
'peciicat ons. under. expert direct on
and inspection, paid Tor in part by
state and in part by fedcrala'd mon.
ey As the commissioner from New
York suggested, system of state
roads, built, maintained and financed
ny the state, and town roads, butt
and financed jointly With the towns.
would probably 1T into Vermont's
present situation rs wei as any.
The lleral1 In inclncu to THINK
;hnt for tho present Nnemmt would
do well to give attentionGD to the
mod feat on of oar state highway
laws; (2) mr1ing over the trunk
liues to the state, CD fixing on types
of roads. taking traffic census and
surveying the state FOR road mater.
ial; t4) building roads as tar as a
direct state appropriation will 80,
financed by either method sug.
gested
The value of good roads, as bust
+, ness Investment, has been demon.
strated over and over again. Moth
ing further remains to be said, and
the appreciation OF property aong
the lines of, state road would furnish
IN many cases the basis for an IN
creased tax that would come from
those most benefited.
But first of all, let MS settle on ;
system and policy The matter OF
finance might properly come when VIZ
4 decide what sorm and direction the
eXpcnd tare viii take 4 modern
! aystem not bonds Is what Vernon;
needs at present Rutland Herald,