Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-24

turn a white board is put that will be
struck by the glare from your head
j lights on which is shown the number
of the road and an arrow indicating the
direction Of the road. The end OF
every culvert wall is painted white
and shows the standardized marking as
is the end of the truss on every bridge.
"At main cross roads a sign is put
giving the names of the main villages
and cities on the cross roads and the
distance. At every county line is 9
sign giving the name and residence of
the patrolmen. At the entrance OF
every city and village is a sign giving
the name and the population. We are
now marking all the lakes. rivers and
streams with signs giving their names.
There are indications that the number
system Of road marking will be adopted
in a national way. Numerals are
known to everybody. Names are not
standardized and difficult to remember.
New Movement In Wisconsin
II have described to you what we
have done in Wisconsin recently. !
have indicated that the question of
financing public improvement is one
that varies according to public con-
ditions. When we provided funds to
meet the federal aid public conditions
justified a state general property tax
to do so and we had no difficulty. The
counties were c~lamoring for federal
roads and were willing to increase the
construction funds by one-third of a
tax levy. To-day the general property
tax as in most states has reached the
peak point and for this reason we have
| set about to devise a new method OF
raising funds for state roads.
"Another reason is that the i'm
| provement of these roads has wholly
tchanged the character of the traffic.
4 few years ago a large part Of the
traffic was local and the local people
were willing to contribute to build the
| roads. Today there is a huge inter-
village and urban traffic, motor busses
and motor trucks, and automobiles
from all paints of the state and the
nation. The traffic is of a totally diff
ferent character and as a consequence
the financing of the building of the
roads must assume a new aspect.
Finally we recently made an in
%yestigation and find that there will be
almost $37 ,0Oo,O o spent on rural
highways in Wisconsin this year. Of
this, Sl0,0O 900 is spent by the local
township units and $4,000. 900 will be
spent under bond issues. OF the total
of S37, 100000 only $4,000 900 is con-
tributed by the motor vehicle or about
one-ninth. In a measure it parallels
the conditions in Montana where to
use round numbers you are spending
about 100000 a year on highways
and the motor vehicle contributes only
one-tenth, or 100000.
With these facts before us we PRO
pose to wipe out the state tax to
raise funds to meet the federal aid to
eliminate the county contribution to
federal aid roads entirely. and to pro-
vide that the motor vehicle shall pay
the entire cost of the construction,
maintenance and marking Of the state
trunk highway system amounting 10
S1o,0o0,o 600 a year. We propose to do
it by the following Ievies on the motor
vehicle.
Taxes on Motor Vehicles
"a graduated license fee based on
80 cents n hundred of weight which
would make the Ford car pay 500
and would graduate upward according
to weight. This would yield So, SOC, 900
a year.
hundred pounds of weight with load on
heavy motor trucks and motor buses
estimated to yield S1,0o0,0 600 d year.
ITO eliminate the personal property
tax on motor vehicles paid to the local
units and used for general purposes
and to provide that the owner of each
motor vehicle shall pay a 2 per cent
privilege state highway tax based on
the valuation Of the vehicle. This
would yield So. 100000 a year.
FINALLY a gasoline tax of two cents
4 gallon on gasoline used in motor We
hieles on highways to go to the state
highway fund and estimated to Weld
S 2.500,00o a year.
in this movement to make the mo-
tor vehicle pay a larger share of the
cost of road building we are probably
taking a more advanced step than any
state in the union. Minnesota has the
valuation tax and is considering the
gasoline tax next year. Eighteen
states have the gasoline tax. Probably
an equal number will put it into effect
in 1923.
I'm my judgment the imposts we
propose on the motor vehicles are
thoroughly justified. The amazing de-
selopment in the number of motor We
hicles recently. the entire change in
the character of highway traffic. the
demand created for better and higher
types of roads by these vehicles, the /
for road maintenance. the |
commercial aspect given to rural high |
way traffic by the truck and bus, all
have been compelling factors resulting
in d change in the methods of high
way financing. 1t is the motor vehicle !
that created the demand for better
roads and it would be difficult to site
any public enterprise in which the ben
efits received can be more nearly trac-
ed to the beneficiary than the benefit
of good roads, can be traced to the
principal road users, the motor We
nicle owner. |
, Mortists Money Ahead
twenty-five years ago the farmer
stood in front of his farm and watch
I'd the traffic which was all horse
He called most of the passers-
~ by their first anne They We're
.leighbors. 1t was a neighborhood
'oad paid for by taxes on the neigh
,orhood land. Today the traffic is
nearly all in the form Of motor We
from every part of the state
md nation, and huge motor busses
md trucks speeding over the road en-
age in commercial traffic.
To pay one-third of Wisconsin's
Dad bin will be an investment for the
motor vehicle owner. Poor roads mean
o him the ruin and replacement of
Tres, increased consumption of gas
line and oil, more washing and paint
ng, heavier depreciation, more wear.
aor ord hrookoVn m tho vahic1a Hal