Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-07-05
State Highway Bond Issue
Economically Sound

Economists who are students and are not frenzied
political partisans, assert that the proposed state nigh
way bond issue is economically sound and would bring
real relief to hundreds Of tax payers Of Texas 10 the
rural districts. Now. economists are hard-headed men
They are net visionary. They are not the victims OF
the vagaries Of the hour nor are they manufacturers
Of nostrums which will make all the people rich and
abolish poverty in this land Of ours, or in any other
country. Under the caption County Taxes Could Be
Reduced If Road Expenditures Are Refunded the
Dallas News OF Sunday published a remarkable story
in the nature Of the review Of the bonds issued for
road purposes and the tax rates for counties where
these bonds have been issued and sold and the pro-
ceeds used to lift Texas out Of the mud. Another
column specificies the amount spent on state high
ways by each county shown in the story. This table
was reprinted by The Austin American Tuesday for
its readers. This is the foreword:
Texas counties have spent S79,44388954 as con-
tributions 70 funds expended on state roads under the
supervision Of the state highway department AND
THAT SUM RETURNED TO II COUNTIES BY
THE STATE OUL MAKE POSSIBLE A WEE
ING IN II AID o TAX
RATE IN MOST or II is shown in
the compilation Of figures prepared by the state
highway department. Estimates Of the amount OF
money spent by the counties in the construction Of
state highways have ranged all the way from SI5.-
100000 to above a hundred million dollars, until the
records Of the highway department were compiled
and tahulated. As information contained II the
table that is reproduced BY the News was furnished
by the county. and only In a few instances were APP
proximations necessary. although in a few reports
instances reports were entirely lacking. The figures
are believed to be correct. but their accuracy cannot
be guaranteed"
According to the News article, in a good many
instances the amount spent By counties on state high
way construction exceeds the amount Of bonds issued
and the highway department CONSTITUTES that 70 be
due TO the fact that counties have issued warrants
or had received donations. Figures are interesting
This paragraph from tic News review Of bonds Isl
sued and the tax rate for counties is more than inter-
esting. II is. or should be. Illuminated with a campaign
on for control Of the principal offices Of the govern
ment OF the state:
The highway department table d~iscloses also that
highway bonds voted BY Texas counties approximate
a total OF s259,551 .069 and Of that total sum S20724l.-
lI9 are no. outstanding. In about forty OF the coun-
ties the department has reports ON the amount Of the
sinking funds and these were Included IN the tables
compiled. but are left cut Of the News table for
lack OF space and because they we're not reflective OF
condition In the whole state. The sinking funds for
approximately forty counties aggregated about 50 300
COO"
Another paragraph OF passing interest follows IF
the state shall elect to make refunds 70 the counties.
whether by the proceeds from a state bond issue or
from current highway department revenues, the
amount returned will be the amount that the county
has contributed to the state for the construction Of
state roads. The figures in the tabC account only for
money spent BY the counties for the purpose since