Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-10
HOLDER EXPLAINS
GAS TAX PLAN To
L MACON K|WAN|ANS

sc MACON, Ga, March 7.-(By the
Associated Press).-A state tax of
two cents a gallon on gasoline and
oil to raise sufficient funds to meet
the federal aid in good road build
ing in Georgia was advocated here
today by John NJ. Holder, chairman
of the state highway commission
in an address before the Macon
kiwanis club.
? Already one cent a gallon is be-
ing paid on gasoline, declared Mr.
Holder. This brought revenue
Mast year of 100000. Two cents
ton gas and oil will produce about
Isl, 800, 0OO he said The head of
! the good roads department also
= added that by an increased levy on
gasoline and oil 1.-The tourists, who
do considerable damage to our roads
twill pay something toward their
isrepair"
The state aid system of public
J highways in Georgia consists of s.
$500 miles, Mr.. Holder explained. Ev-
cry county seat in Georgia has at
least two state roads. OF the $500
miles 1888 have either been built
cor are under construction. ABOUT
Zoo miles will be put under CON
@ssstruction this year. Mr.. Holder said.
Georgia's Federal Funds
r. The total amount OF federal funds
s,allotted to Georgia to June 80, 1928,
~.is SO, 736,536. every dollar of which,
/ said, Mr.. Holder. has been matched
by the state either with county or
state funds.
"Georgia's share of federal funds
.,lthis year was 1881, 900, while next
year her quota will be $1,755,000,
the following year S1.997,000, and,
according to the program outlined
by congress, her quota will be ST.
100000 each year thereafter" said
the speaker
The question may be asked, said,
Mr.. Holder. what becomes of the
'5motor vehicle tax? Why not use
that for getting federal aid for
Georgia.?
1.-The total amount" declared Mr..
Holder" collected last year was ST.
$780, 1000 The expense of collecting
was s64,291.99, leaving $1,765,7OS.O1
to be used in road Improvement.
Presenting the income this year will
be as much as in 1922, budget has
been made for the year 1923.
''Of the motor vehicle tax, $250,0O0
will be spent on new construction,
100000 old construction, and $4,000
will be spent on research work and
testing material especially for sur
facing roads. A total of S160, 600 is
used to defray the expense of the
general office, $4,000 will be spent
for engineering supervision On 49,
100000 of construction being carried
on in Georgia, $50, 900 is allowed by
law for emergencies.
''In the next place, $4,000 is set
faside to do special work in main
tanning federal aid projects provided
the regular quota is not sufficient
to keep them in such repair as will
satisfy the federal government. A
total of 100000 will be used with
which to buy additional maintenance
equipment.
To Help Little Counties
I'm the next place, $950,O00 is al
1otted for the regular maintenance
program. Before the state system
of roads was adopted, some of the
wealthy counties like Fulton, Bibb,
Richmond, Floyd, Chatham and 9TH
ers had built hard surface roads.
These were taken over and the state
system Of constructed roads consists
of about $500 miles. The federal
law provides that all federal aid
roads should be maintained by the
State
= After submitting in detail figures
showing the cost of maintenance,
Mr.. Holder declared that 'if state
funds are to be used to match fed
eral funds there must be other funds
s5SS1uGS Tie dUONS IldIlGu IL SldlS
funds are provided the first projects
where this money will be used will
be in the little counties that are
weak financially" He then suggest
ed levying a tax of two cents per
gallon on gas and lubricating oil to
raise the necessary revenue.
THE big countless he declared,
fare now paying a large part of
The motor vehicle tax. OF $1,830,0
revenue from this source last year,
Fulton paid $347 ,113.23, or nearly
ene-fifth of this tax. Twenty-Five
counties paid more than $1,000,000,
Or about so per cent. Since these
rich counties own a large per cent
Of the cars they would pay most
of the gas and oil tax. They would
pay it with little complaint because
Of the anxiety of the people living
IN these counties and owning cars
10 have well-connected system of
loads"
In conclusion, he said that "some
Of these roads would be dirt, some
ebert, some gravel and others paved.
They would be built to fit the traf-
fc. If state aid is provided for road
construction in sufficient amount to
h1eet Georgia's quota of federal aid,
hithin five years the state highway
department could build at least 300
r1iles of paved roads, 500 miles of
gravel or ebert highways and either
construct or do betterment work on
1000 miles of dirt roads. It will be
only a question Of a few years be-
Fore the traffic will be so heavy that
Georgia will be forced to have at
least all of her primary system
'paved, which will cost $40 100000 to