The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-01-22
CONVERSE FOR
REVISION OF
N, D. R0ADLAW
State Tax Commissioner,
Speaking in Devils Lake,
Outlines His Ideas
MANY CHANGES URGED
Would Abolish Most of COun-
ty Road Tax; Different
Basis Vehicle Tax


Converse, state tax commissioner, in
an address to the North Dakota
county commissioners association TO-
day strongly urged complete revi-
sion of existing road tax laws so as
to place the burden Of maintenance
and building of roads upon the auto
mobile owner, the chief user of the
highways.
He estimated that $2,91l 900 is an
nually spent upon highways in North
Dakota at the present time. 1.-Two
and half million dollars to be ex-
pended upon our primary roads would
not be marked reduction but no
one would have cause to complain rs
long as all or nearly all of the
money expended on the roads is
contributed by the users Of automo-
biles."
Here is what Mr.. Converse urged:
Abolition of. the county road tax;
except for levy of about half mill
for bridge purposes;
Second, the levying of gasoline
tax at two cents per gallon;
Third, increase the revenue from
the automobile registration tax by
basing the amount of tax upon the
gross weight Of the vehicle;
Fourth, expenditure or funds thus
contributed by automobile users up
on primary highways under an ar
rangement contemplating cooperation
of county commissioners with the
state highway commission;
Fifth, the taxation of all motor
vehicles under direct property tax
on same basis Of all other property
is taxed for purpose of supporting
schools;
Sixth, separate schedule of reg.
istration fees for motor BUSES;
Seventh, reduction of township
road taxes.
Present Method Obsolete
Mr.. Converse classes as obsolete
the present method of fixing license
fees on various kinds of cars which
are based partly on original cost and
partially on horsepower. Some mo-
tor buses, he says, are rated at the
same horsepower as low pricet
light cars. The motor buses create
far greater havoc with the roads
than ever farmers trucks of thu
same weight, he adds, for in we
weather the farmers truck is idl
. while the motor busses operate il
all kinds of weather, ripping vi
roads in wet weather. And that, h
says is why the motor busses shoul'
be placed in a special classification
for higher registration fee.
Mr.. Converse, further in his tall
on the subject of motor buses call
attention to the fact that the rail
roads estimate 10 percent of tn
gross operating costs go to tn
maintenance of road beds. "The as
sessment of railroad property is S
high that if we were to assess mo
tor busses at their original cos
> without depreciation, their assess
ment would be no higher than tn
assessment which has been place
upon the property of railroad com
panies in this state year after yea
There would still remain the grea
difference between the two classe
of common carriers, that the raj
roads have to maintain their ow
road bed while the road bed for tn
motor buses is maintained out c
public treasures. so that
motor bus companies paid in regi:
tration and gasoline taxes IL percer
of their gross receipts in addition
paying general property taxes thel
would then be substantial equalit
of treatment las between railroa
companies and motor bus companie
l do not mean, of course, to impl
that they should be taxed anywhel
near - percent of gross earnings
Gas Tax Yield
Mr.. Converse estimated that tn
two cent gasoline tax would yiel
100000 per year; the readjuste
registration fee would yield $1,000
900 while the half mill levy of coul
ty commissioners would yield $500
600.
This system summarized woul
transfer from the general fund
the highway fund the present or
cent per gallon gasoline tax yiel
this to be replaced by person.
property taxes against machine
would decrease township road ia,
es, decrease county road taxes ar
the bulk of the burden be placed c