The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-03-30
ROAD BOARD URGES .
COUNTIES TO Pare
REQUES7SFOR YEAR
Defeat Of Gasoline Tax Neces.
states Economy, M'Kin-
non Declares

a resolution aoOpteQ Oy the St4Ve
highway commission urges county
boards to reduce their requests for fu-
ture construction to q minimum be-
cause Of the defeat Of the four-cent
gasoline tax law in the recent primary
election.
The resolution states that "a very
light program Of state and federal
highway construction will be possible
in 1888" because Of the gas tax defeat.
Attention is called that road and
bridge levies on general property can
be further reduced by the various
county boards II not eliminated en-
tirely.
A. d. McKinnon, chief highway
commissioner. commenting on the
resolution, said the proposed 1892 con-
struction program calls for approxt-
mately 5l8 miles Of new grading. 40
miles gravel surfacing, and 100 miles
of oil mix surfacing. This program.
he added, is made possible because Of
the emergency federal aid appropria-
ton, amounting to $l,2o0,0o0 granted
by congress to the state In 1891. The
money was used In lieu OF state funds
to match county and federal money
and permitted the department to car
~ over in the 1882 construction fund
substantial balance, McKinnon said.
No Aid For 1852
mo federal aid emergency, how
ever, has been extended to the state
for 1892 construction" McKinnon
continued. Therefore, we cannot ex-
pect to carry into 1888 any substantial
balance in the highway fund 50 the
Iconstruction program for next year
will be only half as extensive as that
for 1892.
The resolution states that the high
way commission will cooperate with
Iany county or counties In formulating
the federal road construction program
for 1888 on such basis as will per-
init the substantial reduction or elm
nation of county road levies this year
to finance such construction work In
1888, and this commission respectfully
suggests to the county boards that the
1888 federal road construction work
requested by them be SO limited Is to
permit the counties to finance the
counties share OF the cost thereof
from revenues derived largely OF
wholly from license fees and gas tax
collections.
"This commission will, In order ID
effect the tax economies herein out
lined, join with the several boards OF
county commissioners In a recommen-
dation to the 1888 legislative session
] that it adopt an emergency measure
authorizing the county boards, In
their discretion. to use county rev.
enues derived from motor vehicle II.
cense fees and the gas tax, now used
exclusively on county roads or any
part thereof, to match state and fed.
> eral funds in the building or surfac-
ing of federal roads within such coun-
I ties"
: Refers to License Law
McKinnon pointed out that unde,
the present state law counties are moi
permitted to use their share OF auto
mobile license fees and gas tax To-
constructing or reconstructing stat(
and federal highways. II the countie.
are to use their gas tax and motor We
hicle registration money to match
state and federal money In 1888, he
said, it will be necessary for the next
/, legislature to amend the present law
The commission also has asked con-
!! tractors holding contracts for gravel
surfacing of state and federal high