Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-04-09
REFERENDUM MEASURE IS

D eterendum -, which VIII De Voteo
IN voted upon at a special state wide
election May 5, will create no new expense
for the Montana automobile owner and will
not effect the States five-cent gasoline tax.
This substantially is the opinion OF Attorney
General l.. A. Foot, as written for the Mon
tana Automobile Association.
The attorney General points out that
the Bill as passed by the 22nd Legislative
Assemb' nplies with constitutional re-
ouireme measures of this kind.
IT, DIV ir rotation that can be
placed rpon ne IT rney Generals opinion
according to officers of the Automobile As
S ,iation is that the warrants proposed in
Referendum No. IS will be paid from rev.
enues from Montana's five cent gasoline
tax and that the passage of the measure will
in no way alter or affect the gasoline tax
law which was extended to l94l by the last
legislature.
People in all parts of the State are rally
ing to the support of the measure, and every
where volunteers are offering their services
a. Judges and clerks for the special election
The measure, which was passed by an
overwhelming vote of the Legislature, pro-
vides that 81 5000 600 in highway construc-
ton warrants may be issued for the next
four years, starting in 1881. These funds
along with receipts from the States five
cent gas tax plus the federal money that is
now and will be available will total approx
imately $23, 000, 900 for federalstate high
way construction in Montana during the
next four years. Only a small part of the
gasoline tax revenues will be needed to pay
the warrants when payments start in 1884,
the Automobile Association points out.
Montana has been unable to match &C
cumulated federal funds, the Association
explains, and the passage of the Referendum
Measure will save approximately 81, 500, 900
to the State in the next four years, without
in any way affecting the States five-cent
gasoline tax which is the source of state rev.
enue for federal-state highway construction.
There are only two newspapers in Mon
tana that are against this attempt by this
state to dig itself out Of the mud and ruts of
poor roads, and give us an equal ranking
class with other states. These two are the
local SANDER sheet that is ready to close it's
doors, and another one at Belgrade. Both of
these papers have a circulation Of only about
5000. The total circulation of the l28 week
lies and nearly a dozen dailies in Montana
total $4,000 and all with the exception of
these two are in favor Of the debenture car
rying.
That it will carry with a vote of at least
four to one is a foregone conclusion even by
these opponents, and why they want to be
at odds with the entire state of Montana,
and especially with the State Highway Com
mission IS beyond understanding. The only
thing it will do to Sheridan county is to set
US at odds with the Highway officials so
that we may have to wait a good long time
before we get the roads to which we are
justly entitled. The tax will be only 5 cents
and not 10 cents as they claim. The red
rag that masquerades under the name of
the Producers News cannot hope to remain
open but a few issues more, and it may be
that in using their influence to sway votes
. enough here to defeat the carrying of the
affirmative vote in Sheridan county is mere
ly a last blow at the people here who have
supported that institution for nearly IS