The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1935-02-16
i. s. auto DEALERS
fight CONTINUATION
OF TAX ON GASOLINE
Declare Emergency Over and
Power Should BE Returned
to Various States

st. Louis. FEB. 1.-THE current Is
sue Of the monthly bulletin OF the
National Automobile Dealers associa-
ton wdll announce q fight Is to be
made by y. A. D. A. in congress at
this session on any further extension
OF the federal gasoline tax Of one
cent per gallon on sales, according to
+. w. A. Vesper. president. The tax
would normally expire on June 30, and
the N. A. .. A. move Is aimed to pre-
vent any further legislation to con-
tlnue it, he said.
The first step has been taken by
President vesper sending . proposed
resolution to memoriali1e both houses
Of congress to the executive commit
tee Of the association for approval.
Unanimous approval Is anticipated by
headquarters, 1t Is stated. and II this
occurs, the resolution then will be
sent to each member Of the board OF
directors Of N. A. D. A. for transmits
sion to their respective senators and
representatives in congress.
Vigorous Action Indicated
I'VE are certain vigorous action Is
ers from being singled out for special
taxation on gasoline" President Yes
per's letter to the executive commit
teemen reads. Taxation now totals
from 20 to 100 per cent Of its retail
price,"
The resolution recites that the fed
eral tax was inaugurated as an emer.
ger1cy levy, the revenues from which
are utilized for general fund pur-
poses: tina It's, constitute . double
assessment on motor vehicle opera
tors, In view Of the fact that the -
states already had levied state taxes
on sales Of gasoline when the federal
tax was imposed" and that such tax
IS, TN fact. an invasion Of the rights
Of the states"
It Is further declared that the use
for general fund purposes, Of the rev.
enues derived from the federal tax,
constituted, In effect, usurpation and
diversion Of funds that should right.
fully accrue to the states for road
construction and maintenance"
The assessment by the federal gov.
eminent Is highly detrimental to the
interests Of the states, It y asserted,
in that 1t now tends to make the total
gasoline tax In many states prohibi-
tive and Is causing. In some states,
diminished returns.
Contrary to the intent and purpose
of the gasoline tax principle as orig
inally recognized by the states and
later subscribed to by congress In the
ayden-Cartwright Act Of 1884," the
resolution reads, the federal gasoline
tax also encourages diversion and
evasion Of gasoline taxes In the
states"
It Is pointed out that revenues from
the taxation Of gasoline sales were
intended properly to belong to the
states for the construction and MAIN
tenance Of roads and must be re-
stored to them particularly In view Of
the necessity for matching future fed
eral aid funds, Is soon to be provided
under the Hayden.Cartwright Act"
Committees Oppose II
Tho Ways and Means committee OF
the house Of representatives, the re.
solution continues, as we'll as the IL
rance committee Of the senate and
the Vinson committee on double
taxation each have previously recog-
nized the unfairness Of the federal
gasoline tax and have stated that 1t
ought to be eliminated.
Reciting that the executive COM
mittee Of N. A. D. A. Is in position
to interpret the will Of the $1,000 deal
er membership, and in turn they are
in contact with the 25,000.000 motor
vehicle owners Of the United States,
the resolution calls upon the above
mentioned committees and both1
houses Of congress to allow the fed
eral tax to expire at the close Of the
present fiscal year. lin accordance
with the declared intent ct the time
It was passed."
It also requests that the tax mot
be levied again in any way whatso-
ever and that the federal government
permanently withdraw from the field
OF gasoline taxation and leave to the
states exclusively the power and right
to tax gasoline sales in the future"