Evening star., 1936-04-19

plan, but Is entirely willing tnat la!r
trial be given. Should Congress su-
thorize the installation, he declares
that he will have the machines avail
able shortly afterwards. Mr.. Van
Duzer has had favorable reports from
other cities, including Miami, Fla.
On the other hand, several off1cials
have protested the installation on the
grounds that the machines placed
along the curbs of the streets of the
city would mar the attractiveneSs OF
the thoroughfares. Legal aspects as
to tax the motorist for free use" Of
the streets are somewhat in doubt.
The question Of further burdening the
motorists by more levies also has
been brought out.
The Keystone Automobile Club of
Washington is opposed to the plan.
Various member clubs Of the Ameri-
can Automobile Association through
out the country have protested the
installation. While the District Motor
Club of the three AS has not taken
any action as yet, poll of the mem
bers of the local advisory board is
being taken.
A recent bulletin issued by A. j.
Montgomery. through the A. A. A. on
the subject, follows:
Charles B. Ebert, president of Par
kersburg Automobile Club, reports that
his board. after q study, has voted in
the negative.
Frank Guilbert. manager Of In
land Automobile Association. tells us
that his club has turned thumbs down
on parking meters because ''it's an
other tax on the motorist and has i'm
proved parking only per cent"
H. G. Elder, secretsry-manager Of
Automobile Club Of Oklahoma, at
Tulsa, SAYS: The Automobile Club
of Oklahoma and a ma jority Of city
commissioners are bitterly opposed to
any further taxation ON the motorists.
Our stand was that since We tax
payers pay for the building and up
keep of city streets We should be
allowed the privilege of parking at any
time, anywhere, as long as we COM
ply with the city traffic regulations. I"
Advisory Board of our A. A. A. Dis
trict of Columbia Motor Club, has ap-
pointed committee to investigate pro-
posal to install parking meters in
Washington, where Oklahoma deleea-
ton in Congress is interesting itself.
Clarence Werthan, managing di-
rector Rocky Mountain Motorists. Inc,
tells me that his organization Is ready
to fight installation.
R. E. RhoadeS, manager Eastern
Iowa Motor Clubs, Davenport, Iowa,
reports that park were care
fully investigated both at Moline, ILL.,,
and at Davenport, Iowa, and rejected" ."
w. G. Jones, Secretary-manager OF
Motor League of South Texas. at Hous-
ton, where a thousand meters have
been installed, reports that Motor
Leagues officials went on record op-
posing their usage and filed protests
with city government and that
average citiZenry is approximately rs
per cent against and 25 per cent for"
Myrtis Nicolds, manager of Okla
homa Auto Club. who sent first cir
cular letter on behalf of park-o-meter
to A. A. A. clubs, has written a five
page letter answering Our last bull
letin, particularly "con" arguments,
and restating her enthusiasm for park
o-meters for welfare" Of motorists.
E. F. Mckay Of Oklahoma City, an
official of the Dual Parking Meter
Co., owners and merchandisers Of
park-o- meter, has written in the same
vein as Mrs. Nichols. Suggests their
arguments be presented to all A. A. A.
clubs, but feel that these arguments
are essentially Of ex parte character,
My job at moment Is reporting one.
y y \ X
Legal aspects invite two questions,
Mr.. Montgomery states:
L. Does parking where not restricted
or forbidden by city regulations, come
under term free use" of the streets?
This issue was raised in the District
Court of Oklahoma County, which up
held right of city to install eadgets,
but by no means finally determined
issue.
2. Since meters are installed under
police power as are trafic signals.
markings, etc, does this power en-
body the power to tax" and is the
charge for parking gadget tax?
Question if police power goes that far!
Decision referred to above specifically
stated
go that if 1t should be disclosed
by actual demonstration that these
meters will produce as much revenue
each day as they did the first day,
then the tax imposed would be ex-
orbitant and unreasonable and far
exceed the cost Of supervision, but
We do not feel disposed at the pres
ent time to interfere with the further
trial of the plan. as it is presumed
that the officers Of the city will fol-
low the law and collect no more from
the people who seek to use the park
Ing places than the law contemplates
and allows. Since this is an ordinance
under the police power, no more can
be collected under it than is necessary
to defray the cost of operation and
supervision"
Note particularly the last sentence
II sustained in its entirety, it might
be the means of safeguarding the
motorists from continuing taxation in
the event that parking meters and
parking timers assume large propor-
tions. Positively they would lose Q
good deal of their appeal to such
officials or interest as might be pri-
marily influenced by lure Of "easy
money"
What price to motorists is q ques-
tion which all A. A. A. clubs will prob
ably take into consideration. The
initial installation Of q thousand
meters would cost city approximately
$4,000. Taking an average Of so
cents q day earning per meter, o
thousand meters would earn $500 q
day. or approximately $lS2, 500 a year.
Thus. in the first year. city would
recoup the cost and earn the tidy sum
Of $124. .5O0-exclusive Of such super
vision costs as might be charged to
them. 1t would take at least l,000,00