Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-16
GASOLINE TAX ACT
SIGNED; GOVERNOR
ASKS PRICE PROBE
Instructs. Attorney General
to Investigate With View
to Determining If Excess
sive in Georgia

After approving the Mann bill, in
creasing the tax on gasoline from
one to three cents per gallon, Gov
ernor Walker, Tuesday morning,
took steps to probe the price OF
motor fuel oils in Georgia.
He addressed a letter to the at
torney general, directing him to in
stitute an investigation to ascertain
if the motor fuel consumers of the
state are not being Disseminated
against in the prices they pay for
| gasoline, and to ascertain further
whether gasoline distributing COM
panies are not making an excessive
profit on the sales Of gasoline in
Georgia.
Governor Walker determined upon
his course after reading Associated
Press dispatches from the middle
west showing that the Standard Oil
company and other refiners have
made substantial reductions in the
price of gasoline, as a result of the
action of the South Dakota governor
in lessening the cost Of gasoline to
consumers in that state.
Although the governor is anxious
that the Georgia consumers of gaso'
line shall receive every benefit pos
sible from reduction in the price Of
the fuel. it is his desire to avoid any
action that will work an injustice
upon the small Independent Dealers
whose continuance depends upon
their meeting the competition Of the
| large refiners.
Signs Scent Tax Bill
1t was not until after he had sign.
ed the Mann DILL, increasing the gaso-
| line tax to three cents a gallon, that
/ the governors attention was called
| to the Associated Press dispatches
of substantial reductions in the price
of gasoline in the middle west. His
| approval of the Mann bill was the
occasion Of an informal ceremony,
which was witnessed by a number of
legislators, including Representative
Mann, of Glynn county, author of
| the measure.
Effective October 1, gasoline prices
in Georgia will jump two cents per
gallon over the normal retail price,
! in consequence of Governor Walk
ers action in approving the Mann
bill. 1t is estimated that the
enactment will bring into the state
| treasury approximately 100000 a
year, and, under provisions of the
law, this fund will be apportioned
between the highway construction
and the retirement Of Western and
Atlantic railway bonds.
Heretofore the levy on gasoline
has been one cent per gallon, and
at this rate the tax has netted the
state approximately $1,00G,000 an
nually. The main bill raises the tax
from one to three cents per gallon.
If, as is estimated, 100000 is
raised by the gasoline tax, $1,000,000
will be used for retiring outstanding
state railroad bonds; $1,000,000 will
be diverted to the state highway de-
partment for construction and main
tenance of highways; and $1,000,000
will be apportioned among the vari-
! Gus counties, on the basis Of each
county's total road mileage of So
called federal highways. .
AS has been the custom hereto
fore, the state will collect the tax at
it's source; that is to say, from the
big refiners and wholesale distribu-
tors. But the consuming public will
pay the tax, as usual, since the re-
tail price will be boosted to cover
| the tax.