Evening star., 1934-11-04


taxes or against diverting hig
Similar actions are likely in 9th
Realizing that the motoriSt
gasoline tax rates and is beg!
highways for which he pays,
Progressive parties in Is States
correct these abuses.
Gov. Talmadge, Democratic nominee
In Democratic Georgia, has promised
that there will be no diversion Of
these funds accruing after January /,
1885" The Republican party Of New
York State, declaring that motorists
are now contributing $80,000,000 an
nually to the State in the form of
gasoline taxes and motor vehicle reg
istration fees, with a substantial part
of this sum diverted to other than
highway purposes, pledges itself Ito
the gradual restoration of these fees
to highway purposes"
G. o. p. Opposes Diversion.
In the Far West the Republican
party of the State of Washington de-
clares: I'VE oppose the diversion of
properly diverted using the high
way system as a pay-off to political
spoilsmen."
Both the Republican and Progress
sive parties in Wisconsin definitely
take stand against diversion, and
the need for using all the road money
on the highways is implied in the
Democratic platform. Members of
the G. o. P pledge that all revenues
collected from automobile taxation
will be used for highway purposes"
and the Progressive party states 1t is
opposed to the policy of divert
ing to other purposes gas tax money
and license plate money raised for
highway purposes"
BY implication the Democratic party
takes the same stand. Wisconsin
needs roads and will have to have
them" it states. The continuation
of Wisconsin's road program will fur
nish jobs to thousands of men now
out of employment.
Following the Republican stand for
reduction of the gasoline tax, the DEM
ocratic party in Indiana recently in
serted the following plank in its plat
form: I'VE favor legislation that will
require the proceeds of the gasoline
tax to be used exclusively for high
way purposes"
Connecticut and Vermont Repub-
licans favor relieving the motorists
burden of taxation by reducing regis
tration fees in their States. and the
Missouri Republican party pledges
members to reduce the costs of gov
ernment and ito oppose unalterably
any increase in taxation, by whatever
form proposed
S47.31 Average Tax.
If you do not think motor taxes are
high, read the following A. A. A.
report:
The average motorist paid $47.31
in special motor taxes in 1858 .06
per car more than in 1932-although
registration fees were reduced in l3
States, according to an analysis of
motor taxation just completed by the
National Taxation Committee of the
American Automobile Association.
The A. A. A. points out that the
total motor tax bill last year amounted
to the staggering sum of S1,128,262,33l
the highest level in the history OF
motor transportation.
This tax bill, on the basis of a
valuation of all motor vehicle property
of S4,023, ATS, 189, means that car own
ers paid % per cent of the value OF
their property in taxes in a single
year" said Thomas P. Henry of De-
troit, Mich, president of the national
motoring body.
Mr.. Henry says, in part:
Special State and local motor
taxes amounted to S870, 1927 500, or
S102,225,320 less than in 1882. but
Federal levies scared to the tremen-
dous sum of $257,334,732. This pre-
vented motorists from reaping the
benefits from the lower registration
fees in States where there were re-
ductions These discriminatory Fed
eral levies are scheduled to come OF
on June 80, 1885, and every effort
should be made to prevent their re-
enactment.
I'm 80 States the 1888 average
tax per vehicle was in excess of the
national average of S4731. Nine of
these States, namely, Alabama, Flor
ida. Louisiana. Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Vermont and Virginia, had an aver
age per vehicle tax in excess of $50.
In 20 States the average was above
$50. The highest in any one State
was sS0.02 in Florida.
d. c. Average Lower.
Eighteen States and the District
of Columbia had an average tax per
vehicle lower than the national av-
erage.
"At the present rate of taxation
the owner Of the average motor We
hicle pays 1876 per cent of its average
value during its life of seven years.
I'm 1880 The average tax per We
hicle for the country was S37.72, or
$3.50 less than the average for 1888.
"Our annual tax study discloses
that 1888 was year of gains and
losses in the continuing effort to as
sure fair taxation for the motorists
of the country. 1t is significant that
while many State Legislatures re-
allied the plight of over-taxed car
owners and reduced registration fees
and ceased the annual pyramiding
of gasoline taxes, the Federal Gov
ernment ignored the plight of mo-
tor transport, and refused to lift the
burdensome series of Federal levies.
The result has been an organized pro-
test against the Federal automotive
excise taxes that will be evident when
Congress again considers Federal
revenue. Federal taxes now amount
to 30 per cent Of the total collected
from car owners by States, counties
and municipalities"
Consumer Demand Heavy.
The automotive industry is expert
ancirc this wear a trend in consumer