Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-04-09
Shall, WE HAVE MODERN HIGHWAYS
IN -FOUR YEARS, OR SHALL WE SILL
TRAVEL IN MUD AND DUST!

I >the state regarding the ACCESSIBILITY OF adopt
30 Referendum Measure No. 81 Gin otherI
words House Bill No. 400 at the May cleo
tion. It should be borne in mind that there Is
only one object back of the attempt to pass tins
measure.
That object is to secure from the federal
Government about $6,OO00OO for Use OH Mon
tana highways. sum that will be lost TO the
state unless this bill is passed. This large sum
IS now held by the federal government to the
credit Of Montana but must be matched by
Montana with additional money, on the basis OF
S44 bv the state and 500 by the government for
every 800 expended In other words, for every
S44 the state expends the federal government
will contribute $56 until the total now available
of about six million dollars is absorbed.
If Montana does not match this federal
money within reasonably short time, it will
be lost to the state and will be expended else
where.
That chiefly, is the sum and substance OF the
desire TO have Referendum No. 30 adopted, thus
allowing the state to issue anticipation debeh-
lures to be paid by gas tax income. In otner
words. the state of Montana will borroW-lf the
measure is adopted-the sum Of $1,5OO,OOO each
wear for four years and this borrowed money
will be paid off by receipts coming III from the
gas tax of ) cents per gallon
By using the six million dollars that the
state will borrow, the six million dollars that
will come from the federal government and what
other additional money will come from the .
cent cas- tax it will be possible to complete the
highway program within tours years instead OF
waiting some eight or 10 years for its compile
ton which will have to be done if Referendum
No. 35 is not adopted at the May election.
Bear in mind that if the referendum IS adopted
we will be riding over completed modern hlgh;
WAYS within four years instead OF travelling III
the ruts, dust and mud for another decade Bear
also in mind that with improved highways the
tourist travel into Montana will be greatly III
creased which will mean many additional thou
sands Of dollars expended in the state by those
coming here or passing through GA vacation
trips.
There are Il certain few i'll the state who are
opposino the referendum OH the grounds fnat Il
would enact what amounts to a III cent TAX OF
gasoline If that were true, the measure ough
to be defeated as no one wants TO pay ~ CEN
tax. But the best authorities OF the state Wnt
are acquainted with Montana law and what y
being ATTEMPTED are positive in their statements
that there will he only ) cent per gallon ga
fax. It was plainly the intent of the legislature t.
the state so constl1les the intent and effect Q
the bill: the state tax commission has said tina
it will undertake to collect only cent tax
Governor Erickson evidently believed Their
would be only cent tax when he signed til
bill Those highest in authority who have $
far given any expression regarding the matte
are confident that if Referendum No. 30
adopted users of gasoline will pay the same ia
they are now paying and that is 5 cents per ga
lon.
E. G. Toomey, prominent attorney who le
the attack on House bill No. l. the bill that VIZ
declared unconstitutional, defends the presel
proposed measure III strong language. Spea
ing in regard to the possibility of a 10 cent ia
Mr.. Toomey said:
'sBy no stretch of the imagination w
house bill $50 result in 1O-cent gallon tax
gasoline House bill $50 simply refers to t
existing tax Of 5 cents gallon and devotes t.
Scent tax to the payment of the debentur'
without in any respect whatsoever increasing
attempting to increase, by so much as / mill
not to mention 10 cents, the existing Scent t
on gasoline There is utterly no ground VIII;
ever for the suggestion that house bill 4
creates, or even attempts to create 1O-cent t
on gasoline
There is another contention made by the
who are fighting the measure and that is IL
-. Il II, u.