The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-03-13
HIGHWAY BOND PLAN
RENEWAL NEXT YEAR
WILL ASK FIRST
ISSUES TO SPEED ROAD
IMPROVEMENTS
BABCOCK'S STATEMENT
EXPLAINS REASONS FOR USING
STATE CREDIT TO BENEFIT
HIGHWAY USERS

Charles M. Babcock, state highway
commissioner, in a statement an-
dressed s'To the People of Minnesota
this week announces the present IN
tention of the state highway depart
ment to renew to the next legislature
recommendation for first issues of
state trunk highway bonds.
Prepared to meet reasonable space
restrictions, the commissioners state
ment follows: $50
"The Minnesota Highway Depart-
ment now purposes to renew to the
Legislature of 1925 the recommends
ton for first issues of state trunk
highway bonds-$10,000.000 each
for the next two years, as provided in
Good Roads Amendment No. 1.
"The proposal is to- lend state
credit to Minnesota motor vehicle
owners for the establishment of a re-
volving fund necessary to apportion
to each year it's fair share Of high
way expense and at the same time to
speed up the highway program. 1t
will afford the use of more good
roads at once and every year for the
same outlay. No question of taxa
ton is involved. For the "pay-as-
you-build" policy now retarding high
way development in Minnesota will
be substituted the fairer, more adj
vantageous policy of "pay-as-you-
use," under which other states are
making so much more rapid progress.
This announcement is made well
in advance of the legislative session
to afford the people of the state
ample time to gather all the facts and
weigh the proposal on it's merits.
Highway bonds, however, should not
be made issues in party politics. In
an efficient, economical highway pro-
gram politics have no place.
Bonds are essential now to the
biggest success of the highway pro-
gram. Motor vehicle tax receipts at
agreed $18 average on automobiles
and reasonable rates on buses and
trucks will finance the state trunk
highway programmed current ex-
penses from year to year and also all
outstanding obligations and proposed
bonds with interest, precisely as
planned.
From the motor vehicle tax re-
ceipts each year will be set aside
first the amount necessary to amor
tie the bonds and pay all interest
coming due, then the amount re-
quired for maintenance, and only the
balance will be used for extension of
improvements. The highway amend
ment to the state constitution so pro-
vides now and it cannot be changed,
except by vote of the people. Gener-
oil Tow &c fo1
not be affected at all. 1t is purely
matter of using a given amount of
money-an established income in the
way that will yield the greatest value,
the biggest returns.
"Automotive investment in Mime
sofa in the aggregate is upwards Of
$500, 100000. That is based on an
allowance of only $1,000 for each
car and truck and the garage, SER
vice station, and other related OUTLAWS.
Minnesota owners are putting probab-
ly $100,000,000 into motor vehicle
items this year. They are bearing
the only direct tax levied for the pur-
poses of the state trunk highway sys-
tenn which serves four out of five
road users in the state and large
er proportion of traffic from the out
side. An investment of those proper
tons by a large representative class
is entitled to protection, certainly to
the extent Of $20,000,000 and es-
pecially when the class assumes both
principal and interest charges. The
public benefit will be great and uni
versal, reaching every man, woman
and child.
"Part of the proposed bond money
is needed for highway grading and
crawling. These improvements will
pull up many trunk routes to carry
traffic now leaving them for improved
paralleling highways which are break
ing under the overload. The balance
is needed to pave sections so heavily
travelled that attempts to maintain
gravel surface is excessively expen-
sive and wholly unsatisfactory. Re-
sulting savings on constant REPAIRS
and maintenance will more than off
set the interest on funds borrowed
for these needed betterments. The
public money will be used for good
roads, not frittered away for patching
on inadequate roads. The public gain,
both immediate and ultimate, should
be plainly apparent.
"Another reason for issuing high
way bonds without further delay: It
| is only fair to present day auto tax
payers.
minnesota now is largely engaged
in building highway foundations.
Nearly half Of the net yearly income
of the trunk highway fund is being
invested in right-of-way, clearing,
grading and workiof like permanence
which will serve each year uniformly
as long as the routes are used. Right
of-way and grades are good roads es-
sentials and must come in advance OF
surfacing. But the surface condi-
tons measure the road benefits to