Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-04-01
WEST VIRGINIA
STATE HIGHWAYS
SOME INFORMATION FROM
THE ROAD COMMISSION


A statement covering several points
on which the need for fuller public
information has become apparent,
has been issued by the State Road
Commission. The general subjects
discussed are:
Local distribution of automo-
bile license plates.
Automobile fees and gasoline
fax in West Virginia
7 3-Criticism of the road law
The statement follows:
In regard to the distribution of
license plates, the Commission con-
firms reports that automobile plates
for 1927 are to be distributed at
number of points outside of Charles
ton. Details of the plan have not
been fully decided upon, but will be
announced in due time.
The Commission believes it proper
state, in this connection, that local
distribution has not proved cure
all for license plate troubles. There
Is still a considerable difference Of
opinion as to the respective
merits Of the centralized and local
l2ed systems. In 1925, eighteen
states had central and 18 local dis
. tribution, while u had central of
ice with branches in the larger
rites.
Among those with central distri-
button, without branches were such
progressive good road states as
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois.
Z Several states with local or beaneh
office distribution reported that the
branch Offices had made it impossi-
bic to keep records properly, while
they had also increased the cost of
handling the plates
Local distribution in West Virgin
for 1926 was impracticable be
cause of the certificates of title
which every car owner had to obtain
before he could get his license plates.
Now that all owners have certificates
Of title, this complication no longer
exists.
The Commission intends to give
:. outside distribution a fair test, and
believes that with public co-opera-
tion the plan can be made b success.
Motor Vehicle Taxation
The cost of an automobile license
IN West Virginia is sometimes com
pared to the prices charged in other
states Such comparison do not
give true picture.
For instance, the state of Ohio
makes smaller charge for an auto
mobile license than is made By West
Virginia. But in Ohio, no part Of the
automobile license goes for the con
struction Of state roads. This is also
true of the gasoline tax receipts. In
West Virginia, on the other hand,
the entire cost of building the state
road system is being paid by the re-
ceipts from automobile licenses and
gasoline tax. Necessarily, in Ohio
other taxes are imposed to build the
state system, while in West Virginia
no other taxes are imposed for that
purpose.
To state the question another way
each state must raise certain sum
of money to construct its state road
system. That money must be rails
ed by taxes. If the motor vehicle
taxes are light, then other taxes
must be heavier to make up the diff
ference.
The principle on which the present
West Virginia law is based, is that
those who use the roads should pay
for them. This principle is well APP
piled in the law enacted by the legis-
lature making the weight of cars the
sole basis of license charges, since
the damage done by any car to the
highway, other things being equal,
is measured by its weight.
Attention is called to the fact that
the principle of a toll paid by the
. user of the road was established
more than a century ago, and was
for long time the sole basis upon
which roads were improved and
maintained.
Automobile license and gasoline
taxes together constitute a toll
charged by the state of West Virgin
ia for the use of the roads. The two
amount to an average toll of not
quite half a cent permile. 1t has
been established by the United
States Bureau of Public Roads that
a paved road saves the average mo-
florist 3.6 cents for every mile tray
Il sled. Therefore the West Virginia
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