Evening star., 1933-02-12
AUTO LEGISLATION
MAY AID INDUSTRY
Some States Are Considering
I Laws to Promote Use
of Machines.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, February 11.-Legislatior
affecting in various ways the operation
of motor cars is under consideration In
many of the approximately two-score
State Assemblies now in session.
In some instances the new laws are
being drafted with a view to the ralS-
ing of additional revenue and in others
to facilitate greater use of automobiles.
Weight, horsepower and gasoline tax
alton are being considered In not lew
of the States In others, changes in
speed laws and driving qualifications
have been proposed. The disposition OF
many motorists to prolong the usual
life of their cars has inspired in some
States proposed laws to make manda-
tory periodical examination as to brakes,
steering gear, lighting equipment and
pther vital parts of the car.
Each of the 48 States now collects a
tax on gasoline exclusive of the Federal
tax enacted last Summer. The State
rate varies from two to seven cents a
gallon. In few, if any instances, has
there been a disposition to lower the
gasoline tax. but various other proposals
have Been advanced to meet the COM
plant Of manufacturers, dealers and
motorists associations that the accumu-
lation of tax levies has discouraged the
purchase Of new cars and the continued
use of old ones.
Official figures on the total gasoline
tax collected in all States last year have
hot yet been compiled, but steady
gain in the aggregate sum has been
shown each year since Colorado, North
Dakota and Oregon pioneered the gaso-
line tax as revenue-raising device
more than decade ago, and the figures
Nt.oIl ~v.i1 1f xx,IHny
total receipts were $3.50, ,397 458
! In Michigan a bill already has been
introduced in the Legislature, which
Its sponsors claim not only will facili-
fate the sale of new cars, but also
encourage the use of vehicles that
otherwise might be laid up for in
definite periods because of economic
conditions.
The proposed measure provides for
b sharp reduction in the license plate
levy, which is based on weight, and
would permit the operator of a motor
car to purchase plates at a specified
sum per month for any number of
months OF the year. License plates for
PASSENGER cars weighing up to 5000
pounds would cost SO cents a month and
for each additional 500 pounds SO cents
p month would be added to the tax.
Aside from encouraging the use of
motor cars sponsors of the bill point
put that it would do away with the
annual January confusion growing out
pf the failure of thousands of motorists
70 obtain new plates. Each year Mich
tgan motorists have won an extension
until March 1 to buy their new license
plates and during the first two months,
of each year license plates of different
colors have had to be recognized By
traffic authorities.
In Michigan and some of the other
States proposals have been advanced
for differentiating in the tax levies
against small trucks used by farmers
in handling their own product and We
htcleS used in purely commercial pur-
suits.
Most States already levy q higher
rate per hundredweight on commercial
trucks of the 3-ton and upward
classification than they do on smaller
types, but there are few instances of
special classifications for farmer owned
and farm-used vehicles.