Evening star., 1924-01-20
Motorist already Pays Unfair
Share of Taxes, Figures Sho,u
Not Only Bears Cost of Road Building
And Maintenance, But Meets Other
Deficits--Ne,U Leuies May Be Brewing.

need for the money. and under such
circums tances the money must be
raised. But under existing conditions.
with the motorist already paying
more than his fair" share, it would
be more logical to see that his taxes
We're applied to cover their proper ex-
pendttures rather than to advocate a
special tax. even granting that the
special tax would automatically do
away with all other motor vehicle
taxes.
II there were a genuine attempt to
relieve the motorist of his unfair bur
denS an effort would be made to pre-
Vent the taxes he now pays from be-
ing applied to general uses.
On the contrary special taxes for
road maintenance are sought with
OUT any consideration of the fact that
the motor car owner has already paid
way out of proportion of any use he
has ever had from the roads. and
without any apparent attempt to as
sure him that the supposed "substi-
tuition" Of IA special tax does not mean
simply the addition of another tax
burden.
Autofst's interests Secondary.
Most everyone will agree that vari-
Gus forms of TRANSPORTATION should
be taxed on an equally fair basis. but
if the motorist will analyse the pres
ent efforts in this direction he will
readily see that his interest is not the
real feature of the proposal.
The railroads are already over
taxed. and 50 is the motorist. But,
the motorfst can stand more taxation
without going bankrupt. He does not
appear TO object to having his taxes
applied to general uses. and since all
taxes are levied out of necessity it
follows that a surplus of tax money
either in the federal Treasury or those
or the various states. will render ii
possible for some class of taxpayer to
fight for "A reduction in his taxes and
win out.
The railroads would be in a better
position to turn such trick than the
motoriSt because they are vastly bet
iter organized. The car owner would
ridiculously unfair percentage of the
total taxation. The situation as in
1921 when he paid s337, 100000, or
SCI .624,0i0 more than the class l steam
railroads paid in taxes, would be
eclipSed.
Where Auto Tax Goes.
The motorist has n problem on his
hands with his taxation chiefly be-
cause he has tolerated much unfair
treatment in the taxation already i'm
posed. He does not seem to realize
that the full amount of his federal
automobile tax is not being used for
road building, or that virtually none
OF 1t is being for road maintenance.
He does not appear to object because
many states, such as Arizona, Geor-
gia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oregon,
Washington, New Mexico, etc. are
applying their gas tax to general ex-
penditures, or that Montana a third of
the tax fund is applied to the school
fund
Naturally he is not likely to sus-
pect that a special road maintenance
tax handed to him on a gold platter
may mean that he would eventually
shoulder more of the taxes which
should be paid by the railroads or
other class of taxpayers.
AS a matter of fact 1t is contended
by some experts that the motorist
should not be paying for the new
highways now being built. Highways.