San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-16
Says Bulk of Road Funds
Should Be Obtained by
This Method.
M ETHOD IS FAIR
D. X. Martin, Of State High
way Commission, Advo-
Gates 1t.
BY ID. X. MARTIN
State Highway Commission.


The gasoline tax is a fair, equitable
and practicable road tax. This is a
fact now recognized by a large ma
iority Of states and the road users
are almost universally Of this opinion
Thirty-five states Of the Union now
have q gasoline tax-sixteen OF them
having adopted 1t during 1923. OF
the nineteen old states, thirteen in
creased the tax in 1923-five increas-
ed the tax from / ceht to 3 cents
five from 1 cent to cents-two from
2 cents to 8 cents and one from l cent
to 4 cents. Only six states having a
gasoline tax prior to 1928, have q
rate Of less than cents per gallon
and out Of the 35 states having a
gasoline tax, only nine have as low as
/ cent rate. Sixteen states have .
cent tax and ten have more than =
cents. Reports from all states having
a gasoline tax show that it is a popu-
lar tax and that there is practically
no objection from the user of the road
to this kind of road tax. The user
of a road realizes that he Is getting
value received when he pays 1 cent, 2
cents or even cent tax to travel
from IS to 20 miles on a good road.
He realizes, too, that only by paying
this tax can be expect 10 see the road
properly maintained or more miles Of
good roads constructed.
The license fees in Texas are about
the average Of fees collected in the
states OF the Union, but il the gaso-
line tax Is more equirsble and more
popular than the license fee, why not
shift the burden Of taxation for road
construction and maintenance from
the license fee 10 the gasoline taxi
PAY As You Ride"
The Observation-Disclosures
ride" slogan is becoming very popular
throughout the nation. Under the
gasoline tax, when an out-of-state
tourist uses Texas roads. be pays a
tax TO help build and maintain that
road. likewise. the Texas citizens
who uses the roads OF smother state.
pays for that privilege The average
American citizen Is willing TO pay for
privileges and for benefits received.
II he owns a motor vehicle and uses
it, he realizes that he must pay tax
either for good roads or for bad
roads. If he pays a tax for good
roads and gets good roads. he saves
in wear and tear on his car. he saves
tires and springs he saves gasoline and
time. II he doesn't pay a good tax,
he of course expects no good roads.
consequently. he pays bad road tax
in repairs, tires. gasoline, time, etc.
Get What You Pay For.
What this citizen wants and ex-
poets and has a right to expect of
his public officials is to place the tax
on the shoulders of those who receive
the benefits in proportion to the bene-
fits received. No more practicable OF
surer way has ever been suggested
than a tax on the gasoline used in
the motor vehicle which uses the road
Every road user should get behind
the movement to have the bulk Of tax
alton for road construction and main
tenance shifted from the license fee t.
the gasoline tax and TO see that thi'
tax goes only for road construction
and maintenance. The license fee
could be reduced In proportion to thu
increase In gasoline tax. OF course, ,
registration fee must he charged. an
an accurate record kept as at present
but this fee could be made nominal |
the tax on gasoline was sufficient +
properly carry on the highway pro
YrdIu.