The Bismarck tribune., 1929-04-27
.REASONAbLENESS
ISSUENTAXATION
OF GAS IS RAISED
Motorists Organization Is In.
friendly to SO per Cent Jump
for Washington Parks
DEMAND ROADS USE ONLY
Legislatures Declared to Be Led
Into Abuse Of Revenue
Source by Easiness

washington, April a. Vigorous
opposition to the. growing tendency
on the part Of state legislatures to
increase gasoline taxes beyond rea-
sonable limits was expressed by the
American Motorists association In a
warning issued here this week.
Motorists do not object to paying
a reasonable gasoline tax when the
funds are used for the construction
and maintenance Of roads," the asso-
ciation declared, but they do object
to the payment Of unreasonable, un-
lust and inequitable gasoline taxes
and particularly where a portion OF
the tax fund is diverted to general
public uses"
The privilege Of taxing gasoline Is
being abused in some states simply
! because 1t is a convenient method Of
raising revenue and because the
. money Is available for use Immediate
ly upon collection. the associations
statement charges.
Motorists now pay gasoline taxes In
each of the 48 states Of the union.
Fifteen states. and the District Of
Columbia, charge q rate Of two cents
per gallon. II states charge three
cents, IL states four cents, six states
five cents, and one state six cents.
-. Have Paid Billion in Tax
"Since the first gasoline tax was
imposed in Oregon, ten years ago
motorists have paid more than q bill
lion dollars In gasoline taxes. Ninety
per cent OF this sum was paid during
the last four years. The u. S. bureau
Of public funds has estimated that
the nations gasoline tax bill last year
was $500, ,O00,0 900, and 1t Is conserva-
lively predicted that about $3.50 ,000,.
600 will be collected this year.
1.-The average gasoline tax rate paid
last year was about IS per cent Of the
filling station price. This Is In real
ity q sales tax and Is an unreaSon.
able rate. Unless motorists take
prompt steps to curb the prevailing
tendency OF state legislatures gaso'
line taxes are bound to be increased
Moreover, not all of the money de.
rived from gasoline taxes is beint
used for road work in some states
This is violation OF the principle
under which gasoline taxes wer'
originally levied" the Association
statement declares. - ,.'.e
Divcrting Use Is Charge
"Thc motorist Is willing to pay ,
reasonable tax on gasoline bccaus
he feels that construction and main
tenance of good roads can be expe
dited from this revenue" said J. Bor
ton Weeks, president Of the associa
ton, in commenting on the presen
trend Of gasoline taxes. 1.-Two evils
however. have now sprung up. First
The case with which the tax Is col
lected. which has led some state leg
islatures to impose rates out Of al
proportion to the sales price Of gaso
line: and second. money derives
from gasoline taxation IS being divert
ed for uses other than highway pur
poses.
ut must be remembered that tn
gasoline tax Is consumers tax.
Is tax per mile upon the operatio
Of motor vehicles. In many state
the gasoline tax Is now unreasonabl
and motorists themselves must tax
prompt steps to prevent legislature
from further abusing the gasolir
taxing privilege" President Weel
declares.
"The present trend to tax the me
torists IS typified at the present tim