The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-11-27
Highway Questions Up to
Minnesota Legislature
Lawmakers Will Find Good Roads
Progress Dependent Upon Auto
Taxation, Says Bulletin

Will a next year total of state
trunk highway improvements, less
than third of the average for the
last three years, satisfy Minnesota
people and particularly car owners
paying all the bills?
A highway bulletin this week con-
tains official figures showing that
$10,500,000 of trunk highway in
come, the 1924 total, next year, will
afford less than 100000 for new
construction or Improvements, COM
pared with from nearly $6,000,00O to
$12,0O0,O00 for each of the last
three years.
The legislature meeting early in
January, it is pointed out, must de-
eide upon reasonable motor vehicle
and gasoline taxes, with full knowl-
edge that each dollar of the tax rate
on the average automobile will cost
more than 100000 of needed road
work. 1t must determine whether
sound economy warrants increase or
decrease of the present tax averaging
around half cent mile, when bet
ter highways will cut easily one and
as high as five cents a mile off the
cost of running the average car. It
will be called upon to choose between
a reasonable motor vehicle tax-as
high as is paid in the average state,
or the loss Of Minnesota's reputation
as good roads state.
''Inasmuch as the only taxes on
cars and trucks are also the only
taxes for trunk highway purposes,
needed improvements on trunk routes
are wholly dependent on the income
from that source" the bulletin con-
tinues. eff auto taxes are reduced,
highway work must be curtailed in
the same proportion; if auto taxes
are increased and the funds used und-
er the fairer and better pay-as-you-
use plan, there will be corresponding
ly less delay in making needed high
way improvements"
Other than maintenance OUTLAWS,
increased by extra heavy expendit-
ures on heavy traffic routes with
gravel surfacing, and administration
or general over head expenses of
1926, 900 to ,$150,000 as fixed by law,
remaining amounts for investment in
permanent construction or improve
ments averaged nearly $7,000,0 900
annually the last three years. The
1921 investment was nearly $4,000,
600, the 1922 total was nearly $10,-
600, 900 and the 1923 total more than
$7,750,000. On the present $10,500,-
900 income basis, but $2,700,000 will
remain for new work next year.
County endorsements and bonds
will take $3,80O,O0O of the 1925
fund. That money is being econom-
ically used, however, because other
wise the necessary maintenance fund
would be greatly increased, and good
roads benefits greatly reduced, the
bulletin states. Maintenance and
general expenses will take $4,000, 900
next year, leaving. of the 10000, 900
balance of only $2,700,000 for new
improvements.
County reimbursements bond
money swelled improvement funds by
$15, 100000 the first three years
under the new program, the bulletin
says, but all such authorizations ex
pire this year.
Confined to pay-as-you-build
plan, the higher program will depend
for advancement on current funds
although about a third of the expen-
ditures will be for improvements to
serve 20 years, so years and even
longer" the bulletin continues.
"When the people decide on rea-
sonable automobile taxes they also
will fix the amount of highway work
to be done during the same period.
They should remember that what
isn't put into roads must come out of
rigs, and further that Minnesota auto
mobile taxes now are far below the
average for other states. Wisconsin,
for example, collects personal prop