The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-09-28
! WORE Gas TAX
ARGUMENTS GIVEN
(CommunicateO

Every county in the state VIII re-
ce,ve a substantial sum from the pro-
Goods of the gasoline tax to aid in the
DEVELOPMENT of the secondary roaos
- Amendment No. / passes, members
Of the committee urging It's passage
pointed out this week. :.
The amendment would take third
of the proceeds from the tax out OF
the trunk highway fund and place II
in the state road and bridge fund,
frof,, which it would be distributed out
To the 81 counties for use on local or
secondary roads that are not included
ia the trunk highway system.
What this means to the indiviouai
counties was suggested by reference 10
the gasoline tax figures for 1877, one
third of the gasoline tax Tor lSzf
amounted in round numbers TO $l,-
100000. Had the proposed amend
ment been in effect that year, each
county would have received under the
laws governing distribution OF the
road and bridge fund not less than
$4,000 from the gasoline tax for IT'S
secondary roads and might have re-
ceived as much as $4,000.
If the amendment passes, the
amount available for distribution TO
the counties for local roads Will De
approximately twice that which the
state now apportions out to the coun-
ties from the state road and bridge
fund The one mill tax now brings
in about 100000. which is distribu-
ted out to the counties, each receiv-
ing not less than per cent nor more
than per cent Of the fund,
And the counties will receive the
added fund for local roads under
Amendment No. without any in
crease in taxes, L. P. Johnson, chair
man of the gasoline tax amendment
committee, suggested. The amend
ment makes no change in the amount
of the present gasoline tax, he said
It merely would take third of tax
from the trunk highway fund and put
it into the state road and bridge fund
where it could be used on the second
airy roads.
Doubling of the fund received from
the state for the secondary roads
would enable the counties to improve
hundreds of miles of roads which can
not now be improved, with the heavy
burden of local taxation. The money
would be paid out to the counties and
would be spent under supervision OF
the county engineers and county COM
nissioners in cooperation with en-
gineers of the state highway depart
ment, who inspect and approve state
aid projects.
With twice as much money available
in state aid, the counties gradually
would take over more and more of the
the township roads and improve them
or they could spend a portion OF
their local road tax in aiding the
townships where this seems desirable
Country districts throughout the
state are rallying to the support OF
the amendment, but there is opposi-
ton in the three large cities. The st
Paul Dispatch came out vigorously
against the amendment this week, and
other interests in st. Paul. Minneapolis
and Duluth are sure to do what they
can to defeat it. The cities do not
want road building aid extended be-
yond the trunk highway system. In
fact, they themselves. have envious
eyes on that annual fund Of $1,000,
600 which the highway department
possesses, for they want the highway
department to help pay for the streets
over which the routes enter the cities.
But the country districts which must