Evening star., 1927-12-04
CAR OWNER URGED
TO FIGHT HIGH TAX
A. A. A. Statistics Indicate
Trend Toward Constant In
crease in Auto LevieS.

| Motordom's ever-increasing burden
Of taxation has reached such proper
tons that every car owner should do
| his share in aiding the fight being
made to institute reductions, asserts
a statement issued by national head
quarters of the American Automobile
Association. According to the state
ment, official Federal Government fig
ures reveal that gasoline tax returns
for the first six months Of 1927 were
s101 ,250,S41, gain Of 11.4 per cent
over the same period last year.
This increase" the statement de-
! clares, SIS not to be explained on the
ground that there are more automo-
biles, as many are prone to explain it.,
because figures compiled by the same
| Federal Government agency show
that the increase in motor vehicle
registration is only per cent over
the corresponding months of 1926. 1t
is duesto the fact that gasoline taxes
have been increased through the dis
position of State and municipal
revenue-raising agencies to put
heavier burdens upon the motor-own-
ing public"
What Recent Check-Up Shows.
Substantiation of this allegation is
a recent check-up by the A. A. A.,
which shows that Of the As States
which have gasoline tax laws, 20 have
voted to increase the rate per gallon
since January l of this year. The
average increase was IL cents per
gallon, the national motoring body's
inquiry revealed, and. as a result, the
Nationwide average levy today is
2.55 cents.
"These figures are significant" says
the statement. "They indicate a dis
position toward a discrimination on
the part of legislators that is becom-
ing more and more of an unfair
| burden upon a group that already Is
paying well above its share of taxa
ton. Consider the forms of taxation
to which the motorist is subject. He
pays a Federal excise tax, State
license tax, city license tax, in many
places; gasoline tax, wheel tax, per-
sonal property, minor privilege, educa-
tional taxes, teachers retirement fund
taxes, transportation taxes and many
others in certain localities.
Average Tax Gains 153 Per Cent.
Although the figures are not
available for the present year, the
remarkable increase in the motorists
" Cltyt oldIC SaIld COSA al
revenues Is indicated in the fact that
from 1919 to 1925 the average tax per
car scared from $8.55 to $21.60, gain
Of 1873 per cent, in seven years. What
with increases in gasoline taxes and
in other forms, this figure will be
much larger this year.
"The justice Of imposing this addi-
tional burden upon the motor car
owner is difficult to see. The explana-
ton for it, however, seems to lie in
the fact that the thoroughly exploded
theory of the automobile being a
luxury Is retained by those charged
with revenue raising"
Two Of the most significant gestures
Of the current year in respect to
| motor taxation were those in Illinois
and New Jersey, neither Of which
had gasoline tax statutes prior to
1927, the A. A. A. points out. Both
Of them added such legislation this
year, starting with the 2-cent rate,
| which, If precedent holds, Is no more
than a starting point, says the state
ment.
"At present the American Auto
mobile Association Is engaged in a
| fight for the elimination of the 8 per
cent Federal excise tax. If this ef-
fort meets with success, it will lift
at one stroke a burden of SOS, ,O00, 900
| annually from the purses of the
motor car buyer, a benefit in which
| 1900, 600 persons will share"