The Kadoka press. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1923-current, 1924-01-18
DO GOOD ROADS IN
CREASE TAXATION?
Auto License money and Gas Tax
And u. S. Aid Build Lots
Of Roads

For the benefit of those less in
formed, | would like to submit the
following facts:
We will start with our State Hi
way Commissioners which was or
ganized four years ago, from the
result of federal hiway law
passed by Congress. This origin
ated from the good roads move
ment. Oar government had at
that time a vast amount of funds
avaIlaDie for hiways. This was
allowed the different states, on
the basis of area. population and
valuations. 1t then became necess-
airy for the government to require
some corporate body or Commiss-
ion in each state to handle these
funds. Hence the creation of our
State Hiway Commission.
1t was also stated in this law
that the states should meet the
Federal government in fifty-fifty
basis.
/ order for South Dakota to
lake care of it's allotment, it either
became necessary to raise this by
iirect taxation, for the counties to
aise it, or for the state to issue
bonds. Our State Legislature saw
lit to issue $,0O0,O00 in bonds and
this was to be allotted to the differ
mt counties. Is per cent of this
was to be used in the county in
which it was raised and 25 per
,ent of the State Hiway Commiss-
on should spend at large among
ne poorer counties, where their al
otment was not sufficient to take
are of the Hiway System.
South Dakota's allotment from
his Federal fund so far has a
mounted to around S5,5OO,OO0.
With this sum about 1900 miles
have been built or are under con-
truction in the State system. This
only about half of the program
designated by the Hiway law.
Congress. however. began to re-
llize that they couldn't keep on
bonding the State to raise these
funds. So the body passed the
Motor Vehicle Rights Bill, which
toOk off the personal tax on motor
'ars and placed license tax on
IN them. From data at hand |
ind these fees amounted tn about
81 100000 for 1923 and for 1924
will be greatly in excess of that.
In addition to that, there is the
Gasoline tax. which at one cent up
% July lst amounted to $30O00M
md has been two cents from July
lst. 1923. When we sum up the
number of tourists who lave
rosscd our state. we know where
ONE of it comes from.
N""th"r oourco If revenue is IS
y. dissection lO, passed by the
"st Legislature which is two ner
c"nt tax on all gross earninVs Of
Common Carrier by auto Vehicle
Ion" With registration fec Of
100 which piSo ;e 70 no nlacod to
y" "rndit of tho State Hivav fund.
Rut on he other hand whore does
n" '~ov"rnr,ent OFT these Fednra'
~ fu,ds from? They are raised
ri collected from tho inheritancc
~ tho anrsnnc~+ +"v and the
( Hcoo'" ~. ro Mr. Ford contributes
Ff-"-" -E'orallv 10 tho roads ON
blob his automobiles travel
Returns show that for every Is
'cnts that South Dakota pays to
the government from the income
.anci irancc ana amusement TAX,
,.e receive return Sl.64.
While we hear a great deal of
crlLlCSn Tor Wnat the HiWay
commission has not done, let US
.sve them credit for wha they have
dOne, tor you can now traverse this
state rain or shine, in an old Ford
which you could not have done
Tour years ago with a span of
mules.
j. b. Bateman
Commissioner 1st district Of Jack
t son County.