Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-05-08
president HOOVER used two pens

III OlSlllliB tllC DOWCA lCQCldl dlQ
highway asu recently. The
people of Montana may have to wear
away several lead pencils in figuring
out a compelling and intimate prob
lem that is Immediately presented for
solution by the enactment of this i'm
portant piece Of road legislation at
Washington.
This Dowell Measure provides for an
authorization which will right away
give Montana about 81, 000, 900 a year
more than this state has been hereto
fore receiving. We have been enjoying
about 81, SOC, 900 a year of government
assistance. Under this act our state
must now match 2 ,500, 900 per annum
instead of 81 SOC, 900 for each fiscal
government year.
The issue now presented cannot be
evaded. If it should sc happen, we
will lose what we cannot match on the
basis of $50 of government money to
S44 of state funds.
First, let us get the credit side of
the account.
Montana has just about $4,000 900 of
surplus federal aid money available
today, or as fast as state revenue shall
come along to match it. The emer-
gency clause Of the DoWell act author
ICES another million right away. In
fact, we may as we'll say that we have
81, 900 900 surplus to our credit now.
Further, the new federal law makes
authorization SO that this state will
be entitled to So, 500, 900 for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1882, and $780,
900 for the fiscal year ending june 80,
1888. The credit arithmetic is, there
fore, easy. Montana will be given al
lotments of federal aid funds and viii
have available noW and July |, 1888,
a total sum of around SO, 0O0, 900.
Now let us go owe to the other side
of the ledger and estimate as closely
as possible how much revenue, under
present laws, the state will have COW
ering the same period of time to use
in matching this $4,000, 900 of govern
ment funds.
The state highway commission tried
to make a careful study of future state
road at the March session,
and it was revealed quite clearly how
much money we can have for con-
struction purposes in the next two or
three fiscal years. 1t was estimated
that the state highway revenue, after
paying IClullOo, WALL lllOuIlJ W dbOuo
SO, s. 900 for the fiscal year starting
July /, 1890. The maintenance budget,
including ordinary maintenance, resur-
facing and all repairs, was fixed at
just about 81 ,000,000 for the year. Adj
ministration, reconstruction engineer
ing, equipment and other expenses will
require approximately $450, 900. This
leaves 81, ZOO, 900 for cost of right of way
and the matching of federal aid. Right
of way may require 5000 900. This
leaves 81, SOC, 900 for construction.
Concretely, then, for each year COW
cred by the DoWell bill, Montana will
have only about 81, 800, 900 to match
So, SOC, 900 of federal aid available. The
blunt question is: Where can Montana
find another million dollars, or there
abouts, per year in order to accept
Uncle Sans new gift. The income
from the present gas tax will perhaps
increase through larger consumption
but a good part of that increment will
be needed to take care of continually
larger maintenance requirements, in
which the government takes no part
A conservative conclusion is that the
state needs right away at least S750,00C
per year of additional construction
revenue if it is to avoid losing federal
road allotmentS.
If Montana is in the mood to take
up its federal cooperation more speed
lily than heretofore, or the state wishes
to make an economic investment ano
thereby hasten a completion Of q fully
connected road system, then it is prob
able that a bond issue may wisely be
the method used. Again--if there /:
to be a road bond issue, either one Of