The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-10-23
Put All Automobile Taxes
Into Needs on Highways
Nickles N. Dimes, Gas Tax Man, So
Urge that Car Owners May Es-
cape General Expense Tax

Boiling the whole question raised
in Gas Hax Amendment No. 1 down
to single sentence, Nickles N.
Dimes inquired:
If the Minnesota Legislature puts
a tax on gasoline, shall the money
be used for good roads?
"Vote the way you answer, for
that's all there is to it," he added.
"The legislature already has power to
tax gasoline as well as automobiles
and as much or little as it wishes.
Voters are to decide only whether
gas tax money, if collected, shall be
used for needed highway work. If
there are not enough yes votes for
Amendment No. /, any gas taxes will
have to go for general state expens-
es- to buy coal for state insane hos
pitfalls, and what not -
The gas tax man said that while
the gasoline tax is admittedly the
fairest and most popular tax, there is
a special reason for voting YES for
Gas Tax Amendment No. 1 on pink
ballots Nov. 4, which will appeal par
ticularly to farmers and other car
owners.
"Here in Minnesota" he explained,
scar and truck owners are bound by
the state constitution to furnish all
money for trunk or main highway
purposes, and that ought to be enough
load for them, without adding any of
the general expenses of the state
government. The big question in
volved in the amendment is not
whether auto taxes shall be higher or
lower, but how the revenue collected
from the owners shall be used. Every
dollar of motor vehicle money now
goes for good roads, but if Amend
|ment No. 1 fails to pass, car and
truck owners will be compelled to
pay toward general state expenses
under any gas tax law that may be
passed. Adoption of Amendment
No. / will place the gas tax money
on the highways serving four out of
hive road users in the state"
The gas tax man explained further
that all gasoline is taxed under model
laws such as Minnesota is expected to
have upon, adoption of the amend
ment, but the state refunds directly
all collected on gas used for farm and
various purposes other than as fuel
IN vehicles on the highways.
whether a gasoline tax will bring
material reduction in auto taxes. he
said, will be definitely known only
after the legislature has acted. Pas.
sage OF Amendment No. 1 however.
vii! make such reductions possible
with less serious effect on the good
roads program, according to the gas
tax man.
Government figures were given ia
SOW that 2-cent gas tax, as proposed
mere, costs the average car owner
about sixth of cent a mile and
with upwards Of 100000 a wear
from tourists will produce more
than $4,000,O00 annually in Mime
sta. 1t will be paid in small amounts
with each purchase of gasoline at fill
ing stations, tits expected, and with
small expense if advanced by whole
saiers who will pass it on through 70
talIers to consumers.
Nlckes N. Dimes said that anv
questions regarding the gas tax pro-
posal IT addressed to him at St. Paul
Will be answered promptly. Auto
mobile club officials are lending spec-
lal support to the campaign for the
gas tax and endorsements are Begin
ming to reach the gas tax man from
commercial and farm clubs.