The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1932-12-02

, uudl purpose OF conserving u
public investment in roadway i'm
provement and of insuring the SAT
ETY., comfort and economy of We
hicle operation.
BY carefully maintaining eartf
and gravel roads their life is great
ly increased.
Maintenance is the major activ
ity of the majority of counties, par
ticularly those in this state, which
has many miles or road and thin
ly populated areas, and where
miles are long and dollars are
short. 1t is, therefore, necessary tc
carry on maintenance operations
in a progressive, business-like man.
ner at all times.
The Sc counties of Montana have
6 1000 miles of road. AS an average
they have probably spent $500 on
each of these miles; which means
that not less than s31, 900, 900 are
now invested in the county roads
and bridges of Montana.
This investment, l understand,
was purchased largely by property
taxes, the greater portion of which
was paid by public utilities and
large ranch owners.
The local resident pays only a
bout o%ne-fourth of the cost, and be-
cause he lives on and uses these
local roads he gets at least three
fourths of the benefits.
Truly the small tax payer should
not complain of his bargain.
Yesterday a man told me OF a
local tax payer who said he had
been regularly paying road taxes
for 10 years, and that he wanted
the road improved to his ranch;
when asked if road Improvements
costing what he had paid in taxes
would satisfy him, he said it would.
A checkup on his tax account
showed he had paid only $45 in
10 years.
This, / assume, is a typical case,
and shows that most Of us fail to
realize how little u roads cost
as individuals.
AS custodian of this investment
in roads it is your duty to proper
ly care for your trust.
You will receive nor blame for
poor roads than for good ones.
Road-users are more interested in
how we'll you take care of their
Investment than in listening to ex-
cuses as to why the roads are bad.
But what is the final answer?
Just this: we pay for roads wheth-
or we have them or not. New
'armers, new business and industry,
Ire attracted to communities which
nave good roads, and they avoid
hose which have poor roads.
A demand for tax reduction at
his time is natural because of ag-
'icultura1 and business conditions.
But to bury the transportation dol
in the mud and dust when road
conditioning will save it is false
economy.
1t is poor judgment to reduce
Dad budgets without carefully con-
idering all the facts of the case.
% ave a few dollars now by neg
our roads will cost some
ne many dollars to correct our
listakes.
Do you realize that as a County
commissioner you are also custod-
In of county property OF assets?
have just told you that the aver
ge county road investment is ap-
roximately 5000, 600. Do you be- I.
eve that your constituents actual
realize that they are owners Of
lis vast sum invested in roads? :
some of these owners have =.
more than others, neverthe- :
IS the fact remains that each can :
,ceive the same benefits. :
Everyone is interested in and /,
ants efficient county manage ;
ent, but | don't believe anyone ,
insiders it good management, to :
1t a road budget Is or 20 thous- !,
Id dollars and permit a loss of ;
.ty thousand dollars in road +,
sets. !,