The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-26
CHARLES M. sABcock

CHAhlES NJ. BABCOCk
First issues of highway bonds un-
der Good Roads Amendment No. /
are to be recommended to the Ieg1s-
lature to tighten the burden OF public
expense in these times of high TAXA
ton. They will extend to each year
its fair snare of the cost OF perma-
nent highway improvements and
give the present taxpayers a just
measure OF benefits Tor the fumes
they are providing.
Highway improvements projected
now are public necessities which
must be buIlt within a lew years.
They can be constructed economic
ally now with the bond money, or
they will come little later perhaps
with higher taxes and construction
costs. But they must be built ana
soon. ."
The proposed bonds together with
the interest on them are to be fin
anced wholly with trunk highway
funds-motor vehicle taxes, and
. without adding a dollar TO taxation.
The plan simply anticipates the col
lection of the revenues and applies
them on the roads with greater fair
/ ness to the taXpaer of today
The highway department is not
advocating any increase the
agreed SIS average tax on automo-
biles nor any gasoline tax. The au-
tomobile tax revenue at the SIS av-
erage rate will produce amounts
ample to cover both the principal
and interest on bonds and leave an
nual balances adequate for estab-
lished maintenance requirements
and continuation of needed better
fc frnrn -
! The sinking fund required by the
constitution has been carefully
worked out but the detailed figures
would take too much space here.
Only with highway pond FUNDS
will it be possible to meet reason
able demands, stop waste of money
for excessively expensive mainten-
ance and give the highway user of
today the service and savings TO
which he is entitled.
Nearly half of current highway
funds are going for right or way,
bridges, grading and other perma-
nent construction which will be used
for 25, SO and even 100 years and it
is unjust to charge it all to any
single year. The bond plan will
spread the cost more equitably.
An extreme example or mainten-
ance fund waste is furnished by a
heavy traffic trunk section which
took an average of $2,145 a mile for
upkeep in 1922 and with unsou
tory results. The section is used by
more than 1900 vehicles daily. the
traffic census shows. Operation of
the average motor vehicles on this
stretch cost at least 10 cents "a mile
and pavement would easily reduce
that cost to z cents. Figuring con-
servatiVely' and applying the aver
age for only 200 days in the year.
there was a possible cash saving to-
users Of over $4,000 a mile, exclus
i've of state saving on maintenance.
The paving would cost not more
than 100000 a mile. No private bus
mess concern would reject a propo-
rition offerinT- p return OF more than
50 900 a year on an investment OF
100000. o..
On the trunk system are several
sections in this class roads which
cannot be kept up with gravel sur
facing at anV OUTLAW with .coutinr-
ance Of the rapid increase in traffic
While immediate paving of some
sections Is imperative, it must not be
referred that all the bond money
will be used for pavement extensions.
On the contrary, under the bond plan
the long .mileages OF highway i'm
provements will be of grading and
graveling as in the past.
Where 1t will meet traffic require
ments, the gravel road is the best
road. t.
This covers the highway bond pro
posals. except the reimbursement
authority. The latter is simply to
give all counties equal privileges, to
satisfy those which did not avail
themselves of it and as result do
not enjoy the good roads common in
counties which did take advantage of
the plan.
Any further Information desired
on any phase OF the subject will be
riven by the highway department.
1t wants the plan so thoroughly and
universally understood that every
good citizen will make it point to
advise his members in the iegisla-
ture that he demands favorable ac-
ton on the highway bond plan.