Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1925-02-13

appropriation of S1,OOO,0O0 to receive
and disburse this SUN. These tiguros
Indicate that the state Will have 40,
proNmately S1D,5oO,OOO for state roa1
during the next two years The prt
mary highway appropriations Tor work
done within the counties upon the re.
quest OF county commissioners hui
subject to the approval Of the state
highway engineer amount to $3l06,OOO
OF new moneys and Sl276,77OdO re.
appropriated as an meXponded bal,
0nce Of the money made ayuilahl, by
the last legislature,
The Hartley suggestion for requir
ing closer attention to bond election
resulted in bill that requires partici
patton in bond elections of not less
than half the voters who took par,
in the preceding general state cleo
ton but exempted the smaller school
dil.lng, drainage and similar districts
from its provisions. It was found I'M
practicable to exact harsher terms
New Highways Cause Fight.
At the beginning of the last week
the legislature found itself involved
in bitter fight over the addition OF
several new highways in the state road
system The trouble started in the
house when a simple bill was passed
making all secondary highways pri'
mary highways so the state instead of
the couaties would pay maintenance
expenses. State Highway Engineer
James Allen favored the bill, believins
that some of the smaller counties could
not maintain the highways called for
in the state program, However, when
the bill reached the senate number
OF new highway projects were attached
to it. Among these was the Elna.
Grand Mound cutoff that would give
Grays Harbor county direct connec
ton with The Pacific Highway; the ex
tension OF the Naches Pass highway
from Auburn, through Sumner and
Puyallup, to Tacoma, because when
the new Tacoma-Seattle short line is
finished there Will be no connection
at Auburn with the road that runs
around the north side of Nit. Rainier
and on to Yakima connection be.
tween ColfaX and Pullman; the addi
tion of cus,otf from Coulee City to
Brewster to connect the Sunset and
Chelan Okanogan highways; recogni-
ton of the Bellingham-Mt Baker road
which would obligate the state to
maintain a road already being built by
Whatcom county and the forestry serv.
ice and Falls City-Bothell cutoff
shortening the distance between north
western and eastern Washington via
Snoqualmie Pass Addition of this
extra mileage involving both new con
struction and maintenance costs was
the first real break in the state high
way program adopted twelve years ago
and the fight still ragged over the move.
ment when the legislature reconvened
this week
Battle Over Tax Commission.
Governor Hartleys tax commission
bill provoked strenuous fight in the
house last week and the struggle was
renewed in the senate when the bill
came before that body this week The
bill creates a state board with super.
vision over assessed valuations and
power to hear appeals both from as
sessments and tax levies A supple
mental bill carries a $4,000 appro
priation for the first years expense
The bill has been redrafted several
times and amended literally in the
house committee on revenue and taxa
ton. 1t passed the house, rs to 90
after debating that lasted through
parts of Thursday and Fridays ses.
sions. Representative NJ. NJ. Moulton
of Benton county led the fight for the
bill; Representative John Hanks of
Kittitas the unayailing struggle
against it.
After nearly month of talk about
what the enemies of Senator P. H.
Carlyon would do to his capitol bill
the measure providing for S4,OOO,OOO
bond issue based on the capitol land
grant and for the completion Of the
administrative building in the capitol
group and other necessary work, pass,
ed the senate unanimously last satur-
day. However, the opponents of Dr..
Carlyon claimed that their opposition
had forced him to open up the highway
budget which he was handling and to
take in some new road projects.
Would Strengthen Tax Commission.
A lastminute bill introduced to
strengthen The new tax commission
was on the calendar in the two houses
his week. This measure changes to
he first Monday in July-formerly
Augustine meeting of county equal.
cation boards so as to lengtnen the