The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-04-20
MARYLAND's GAS" TAX
Amounts To $1,000. OOo--Lateral
Roads Built

Approximately S7,00O,000 will
have been paid by motor vehicle
owners in Maryland for construction
of roads, their maintenance and the
elimination of railroad grade cross
ings during the first year of the A.
cent gasoline tax, it was indicated in
"a statement made public few days
ago.
The gas tax proceeds for the first
eleven months, from May l last year
to April ! this year, amounted to
$4,486,OO0. Collections for this
month, which will complete the first
year, will make total OF about
$5,000.OO0, Mr.. Mackall said. =
Besides the gas tax, motorists pay
in excess of $2,000,000 annually in
license fees to the Motor Vehicle
Commissioner.
The gas tax and the revenue from
the Motor Vehicle Commissioner
office is apportioned eighty per cent
to the State Roads Commission for
construction and maintenance OF
state roads and twenty per cent to
the city of Baltimore for expenditure
on its streets.
A statement made public ny John
N. Mackall, chairman OF the commits
sion, in response to queries from III
dividuals showed the States share OF
the tax for eleven months, as fol-
lows:
Lateral road tax III
cents .,........... $1,290, 900
Grade crossing elimination
" cent .......... 4Sz,OV0
Road reconstruction and
maintenance cents 1,866,OO
rhe total received by the commits
sion, representing eighty per cent OF
the amount collected, was $685.
600. The city's share, twenty per
cent, was $4,000.
Because Of the imposition of the
4-cent tax in the middle of the State
fiscal year, which ends October 81
accurate comparisons with collec-
lions and expenditures in other years
is difficult, it was explained.
For the fiscal year of 1925-26,
when a 2-cent tax was collected
throughout the. year, the revenue re-
ceived amounted to $2,lOS,OO0.
This amount, with receipts from
vehicle fees, gave net income fol
maintenance and construction OF
little more than $4,OOO,0OO for City
and State.
Consumption Increases
The increase in the number of
automobiles and in gasoline con-
sumption has more than doubled the
revenue of $2,1O9,0O0 obtained that
year, although the gas tax itself was
increased from to 4 cents only.
The estimate of $5,OOQ,O00 for one
year under the increased tax, and
the actual collections Of $4,4S6,O0U
for eleven months, indicates that es-
Inmates considered by the Legisla
ture last year, when the Accent tax
was before it, will be exceeded by ap
proximately $S00,0O0.
How Money Is Spent
Under the law, expenditures from
roadstax. funds are as follows:
Expenses of the Com
mission ............ $2O4,9lS
Expenses of Motor We
hicle Com. ONCE. $475,O 900
Expense of the Baltimore
City Traffic Court. 80. $3O,S0O
Subsidies to Ferry Com
AS Miles OF Road Built
These expenses are deducted from
the revenue from fees. The revenue
from the Accent gas tax during the
eleven months has been allocated as
follows:
From the / " cent tax for lateral
roads funds expended in each county
were based ON the total mileage of
the county's roads, as compared with
the total mileage of roads. through:
out the State.
Approximately 81, 29O,OO collect
ed thus far has either been spent on
roads in the counties or contracts
have been awarded calling for the
expenditure of the remainder Mr.
Mackall said that the cost OF !iteral
road construction averaged about
$4,000 mile. Based on the aver
age cost, about forty-three miles OF
lateral roads have been built.
From the accent tax for grade
crossings, very little has been ex-
pended Part of it was used for in
expensive eliminations in Western
Maryland. Bids are about tn be ad-
yertised for contracts to eliminate
the crossing of the Baltimore and
Ohio. in Hyattsville and the pennsyl-
yallia crossing in Elkion.
Negotiations are under way. Mr.