The Winslow mail., 1926-02-19
Senator Sims Explains
Needs To Perfect The
Good Roads Sy ste m

PHOENIX-Senator w. P. Sims
of Cochise county, addressing the
Phoenix Lions club at recent
meeting, explained the needs of Ari-
iona to perfect and maintain it's
good roads system Opposition TO
the program is slight, he said.
"There supervisors did not want
the new legislation passed as it
would interfere with their plans
and compel them to vote county
revenues to take care of their
roads," Senator Sims said.
In support of his contention that
the state was going backward in
the matter of raising highway
funds, the speaker cited that in
1917, with but 10000 automobiles in
the state, a road tax of 10 cents
per 500 was assessed, amounting
to $51.53 on each car. In 1923,
when there were $4,000 automobiles
in the state, the tax averaged but
1925 per car, he said.
Hard surface roads are the vital
requirement of the state with con-
stantly growing traffic usages, and
would be far more economical than
the present dirt surfaced highways,
Senator Sims told his audience. The
expense of constantly resurfaclng
the dirt roads, as the winds carry
off the light top dressing, repairs
on drainage and other deterlora-
tions, as we'll as the wear and tear
on cars and tires are serious ex-
pense which would be largely done
away with by all hard surface high
ways, Senator Sims asserted. A
Joint survey by the United States
government and the state OF Iowa
disclosed that soft surfaced roads
cost motorists cents per mile
Smore than travelling on hard sur
faced roads, he said.
eve want and must have better
roads and yet we feel that our tax
burden must not be increased. We
need about $5,OOO,000 per year, OF
which the federal government pro-
vides about $1,050,OO0. If we con-
tinue our present taxes; namely, l0
cent levy, 8 cent gas tax, license
lees, SIC., VIC Will at Jul ~ OOO~~N
rate of growth be receiving the
$4,000, 900 in 1888. To provide the
S5,0OO,000 now there are three
courses open:
First: Increase the 10 cent
levy, property tax, to 30 cents on
the $100 valuation, continue the 3
cent gas tax, readjust auto license
fees and revise the stage and truck
tax.
Second: Vote a bond issue of
not less than $30,000,000 for con-
struction and continue most of our
present taxes. direct and indirect.
Third: Initiate an amendment
to the constitution to allow Arizona
to\issue short term serial bonds at
5 per cent to be retired solely from
present existing sources of reven-
ue; namely, half of the cent gas
tax, 10 cent property tax, auto Ii
cense fees, auto stage and truck
fees.
"In 1925 the gas tax of cents
produced 1855, ,950.57 and it is estt-
mated that we lost at least $780,
1000 due to improper exemption
from the tax being allowed. Then
10 cent levy produced $624,276; mo-
tor vehicle fees, $404, SOAPS; stage,
truck and regulatory taxes, about
100000 making a total of $2,084,-
870.S2. Of this amount the state
highway department had exclusive
control of $974,7OO for construction
and maintainence.
''It is estimated that 100000 OF
this $974,700 is needed for main
tainence purposes, leaving for new
construction less than 100000 for
the year.
IF the plan of issuing short term
serial bonds against our existing
highway revenues is used, we can
2 have $5,000,O00 yearly program
shat will require total bond issue
of $8,000,000 with a total interest