Nogales international., 1930-07-18
.Sdit0Egiials 3 Egii
Vote For The Highways!

It is unfortunate that the proposed bond issue
for highway improvement and maintenance in this
state, which will be submitted to vote of the people
In November was referred to as the "S1OOOO00O
Road Bond Issue
In the first place. if this constitutional amend
ment is carried the bonds issued will not even come
close to ten million dollars and in the second place.
whatever Indebtedness the state might incur through
the issuance of road bonds will not increase the pre-
sent property taxes cent The tax will take the
form a Onecent levy each gallon Of gasoline used
and when takes into consideration that this means
only an Increase of 40 cents month to the average
automobile owner, Or less than five dollars year.
certainly there can be no logical argument against
the ISSUE And too there is always the possibility of
reduction in the price Of gasoline Should the oil
companies decide to reduce the price cent per gal
lon, the road bond issue will cost the citizens of
Arizona anything-not one dime
Now, as to the amount of the proposed bond is
sue According to the plan outlined by State Highway
Engineer W. W. Lane, and which has been indorsed
by the Arizona Good Roads association, working
fund of $6000000 year is to be created for use Of
the state highway department in the maintenance of
present roads and the Improvement of major high
ways 1t is estimated that the state highway depart
ment already has 100000 annually for this purpose
This means that Ony 81 100000 must be raised through
the issuance Of bonds in 1881 when the issue becomes
effective, passed in the November election In other
words, the amount of bonds to be issued will be the
difference between the road fund now available and
$6OO0OO0 which, as stated is estimated at 81 800 900
IN 1881 The amendment specifically provides that not
more than $200O,000 shall be issued in any one year.
so we repeat, it extremely unfortunate that it
should be referred to the Ten Million Dollar Bond
Issue
With X-million-dollar working fund.- the state
in three years will oil surface every primary highway
in the state and in six years every major highway in
Arizona will be paved At present it costs from $65OOO
to $l5OOOO mile to maintain the state roads, AS they
are paved this amount will be released for improve
ment Of secondary highways, so that in a very few
years Arizona will have of the finest systems Of
roads In the entire cOuntryand at little or no cost
to the taxpayer.
is estimated that AZ per cent of the gas tax will
be paid by tourists from out of the state and large
per centage by operators Of ucks and busses so
the gas tax levied against the Individual car owner
will be nominal Taxes against real and personal pro-
perty will not be increased in any way by this bond
ISSUE The fund will be raised entirely through the
one-centa gallon gas tax, and this means cost of
4O cents month to the average driver where is the
automobile owner who would object to paying 40 cents
month if he assured of paved highways all over
Arizona in six years? And don't forget that smooth
roads mean less maintenance cost on your car so in
reality, you will probably more in upkeep of your
car than the gas tax will cost you.
From every standpoint, we can see no good rea-
son for opposing the proposed highway bond issue
and we hope that the far-seeing and progressive ee
ment of State will predominant at the polls in No
vember.