Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1922-08-17
PAYING FOR GOOD ROADS

EVERY 50 Olltu newspaper h@N-
find on their desks publicity from
some automobile association pro-
testing against any higher license
fees on motor vehicles. The argu-
ments usually are carefully prepared
and foreibly presented.
Automobile associations all over
the land appear to be opposed to
taxing the industry more because II
is taxed so much already and IN SO
many ways.
1t pays all the taxes any other IN
dustry pays and the license fees IN
addition. OF course, big business
like the motor industry pays enor-
nous taxes.
But the product of this business
causes other taxes to be high. Auto
! mobiles: especially larger cars and
heavy trucks; wear out a great deal
of road. 1t is only fair that they
should pay, largely through license
fees for the road which they wear
out. Those best qualified to know,
state they are not doing so.
At any rate, anyone who goes
little way off the main avenues Oh
motor travel knows that the condl-
ton of side roads is worse than lew
years ago. The side roads and side
streets have had to be neglected SO
as to maintain the principal channels
of traffic. There has not been enough
money to go around.
Practically all the motor fees nave
been used to maintain roads, and III
addition the other taxes of most
municipalities and states have been
increased, and in addition the other
taxes of most municipalities and
states have been increased. What is
more-and this is important-in not
a. few cases the debt limits of munich
palities has been reached.
Every motorist desires good roads,
and kicks if he does not have them.
II is realized more and more that
moor roads mean large tire costs,
bigger repair bills, excessive gasoline
needs and more rapid depreciation
on the car.
The motorist might Just as well
nav for better roads as to stand high
costs elsewhere. II the higher IL
cense fee goes to make better the mo-
torist will gain in the end. He is
being educated to this fact.
The head of a large company says
that it costs, depreciation included
about $4,000 per annum to operate
large truck. This includes gasoline,
the driver and all such expenses. The
company pays license fee of only
$50 per truck.
Better roads easily could save
twice this fee in maintenance and in
addition enable the truck to accom-
nlish more work. He states that he
would be perfectly willing to pay two
or three times as large tax on his
trucks because it would be on econo-
nv to do it for the sake OF better
roads.
ueavv trucks wear out hundreds of
thousands of dollars more in ROADS
than they pay in licenses fees. IL
thy cannot afford to pay larger taxes
thew cannot afford to compete with
the railroads, and the traffic ought
to go back where it came from.
AS a matter of fact, under present
conditions, the public is taxed and
riders in lighter passenger cars are
penalized and jounced for the sake
of making possible a little cheaper
motor truck transportation.
Good roads are not expensive TO-
m otorists-they are an enemy. The
poor roads are what cos: the money
II will pay ten million automobile
owners in this country to look be-
yond their noses in this matter
that is, beyond the sophistries of sub
sidized associations.
The man who advocates higher Ii
cense fees TO maintain and improve
highways is not an enemy of the au-
tomobile owner He is his best
friend. Boston Commercial, July, |
15, 1922.
1t might be added that every citizen
who does not own an automobile is
also virtually interested in the road
question as permanent road construc-
ton and maintenance will play an
important part in future tax bills.