The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-03-14
TO RENEW PROPOSAL
FOR HIGHWAY BONDS.

| FOR HIGHWAY BONDS
COM ISSIONE.R BABCOCK
i MAKES PUBLIC PURPOSE OF
! DEPART MENT TO AGAIN
| RECOMMEND ISSUES FOR
NEEDED WORK.
URGES "PAY AS you USE
POLICY.
/ Advanced as a plan to loan state
/ credit to Minnesota highway users
| for needed road improvements with
out unnecessary and expensive de-
lays, or tax Increases, just as state
credit is being loaned to farmers
for their own and public benefit,
the S20,O00,O00 highway bond pro-
posal will be recommended again to
the 1925 Legislature, Charles M.
Babcock, state highway commission
er, announced this week, nearly a
year ahead of the session.
| Mr.. Babcock repeats that if the
plan is fully and correctly under
stood it will claim the support of
every citizen and ADDS that any
questions about it will be answered
by the highway department. He
tries within reasonable limitations
to present the proposition.
The Miner publishes the commits
sioner's statement in full, because
of the Importance of the subject.
Further, that the people may get
the facts, it will publish communities
tions on both sides, except those
tending to create wrong impress
sion or Objectionable for other rea-
sons.
Commissioner Babcock's state
ment, addressed to the people of
Minnesota, follows:
"The Minnesota Highway depart
ment now purposes to renew to the
Legislature of 1925 the recon-
mendation for first issues of state
trunk highway bonds-$10, 900, 900
each for the next two years, as
provided in Good Roads Amendment
| No. /.
"The proposal is to lend state
credit to Minnesota motor vehicle
owners for the establishment of a
revolving fund necessary to appor-
ton to each year it's fair share of
highway expense and at the same
time to speed up the highway pro-
gram. 1t will afford the use of
more good roads at once and every
year for the same outlay. No
question of taxation is involved.
For the 'pay-as-you-builP policy now
retarding highway development in
Minnesota will be substituted the
fairer, more advantageous 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 legislature 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 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
i at the agreed 18 average on auto.
mobiles and reasonable rates on bus
ses and trucks will finance the state
trunk highway program-meet cur
rent expenses from year to year ane
4 also all outstanding obligation.
and poposed bonds with interest, pre-
cisely as planned.
Il "From the motor vehicle ia,
receipts each year will be set asid,
first the amount necessary to amor
tie the bonds and pay all interes
coming due, then amount require,
for maintenance, and only the bal
ance will be used for extension O
improvements. The highway amend
ment to the state constitution s.
provides now and it cannot b
: changed, except by vote of tn
people. General property taxes, j
is repeated, will not be affected a
all. 1t is purely a matter of usin,
a given amount of money-an estab
hshed income in the way that vii
yield the greatest value, the bigges
returns.
"Automotive in estment in Mime
sofa in the aggregate is upwards o
$500, 100000. That is based on al
allowance of only $1,000 for eacl
car and truck and the garage, ser
vice station, and other related out
lays. Minnesota owners are putin,
probably 500, 100000 into motto
vehicle items this year. They ar
bearing the only direct tax levie,
: for the purposes of the state trunl
highway system which services fou
out of every five road users in tn
state and larger proportion o
traffic from the outside. An in
vestment of those proportions by
large representative class is entitle,
to protection, certainly to the ex
tent of $20,000,000 and especial,
when the class assumes both prin
kcipal and interest charges. TIL
public benefit will be great an,
universal, reaching every man
woman and child.
"Part of the proposed BON
: money is needed for highway grad
ing and graveling. These improve
ments will pull up many trun
: routes to carry traffic now leavin
:: them for improved paralleling high
:: ways which are breaking under tn
overload. The balance is needed t
pave sections so heavily travele
: that attempts maintain grave
surface is excessively expensive an
: wholly unsatisfactory. Resulting
savings on constant repairs an
maintenance will more than offse
the interest az, R..-Ir I,n....1....I 4 !.