Evening star., 1936-10-18
HIGHWAY TAXFUND
DIVERSION DENIED
Automobile Association Ac-
cused Maryland of Failing
to Use Grants.

Diversion of 100000 from motor
vehicle tax receipts to non-highway
uses by the Maryland Roads Commis-
sion from 1924 to 1884 was charged
by the American Automobile Associa-
ton today as the State agency an
swered with a counter attack Of mis-
Interpretation"
Citing hazardous conditions on the
Defense Highway, the Marlboro Pike
'Iand other nearby thoroughfares in
Maryland, the association criticized
the commission for failure fully to
utilize Federal funds granted for high
way work.
Commission Chairman Homer E.
Tabler denied the organizations
charges and cited figures to show ''an
actual diversion of less than $1,000
600 since 1880, and practically no di-
version at all prior to that time"
100000 for Debt Service.
He declared the "non-highway uses"
were actually closely related to the
construction and maintenance OF
State roads" Since 1880, according
to commission figures, some S9,000,000
has been spent in debt service on road
bonds, in appropriations for ferry op-
Grafton and in indirect rebates to pur-
chasers of gasoline for fishing boats.
The A. A. A pointed out that some
Of the diverted funds had gone to oys-
ter propagation. This money, the
commission declared, was to give fish
ermen some return on their gasoline
tax since the fuel was not used in
highway transportation.
Commission Auditor William A.
Codd called the A. A. A. charges
"purely matter of incorrect inter-
probation of figures" Both Tabler
and Codd emphatically denied that
Federal funds had not been fully util-
lied. In 1884, Codd said. the Federal
Government granted the State 1884,
600 to pay for 35 per cent of highway
construction. All this money has been
used, he said, and another $1,000, 900
in 1885, granted on a As per cent
basis, has also been expended Most
OF this latter sum went to the Fred
erlck-Hagerstown, Philadelphia and
Eastern Shore cutoff roads
All U. S. Funds to Be Used.
n This year, Codd said, sl,025 900 was
given to the State by the Federal Gov
ernment. Maryland matched this
amount and the S2O5O,OO0 has been
completely scheduled for expenditure
Contracts have been awarded to utilize
most Of the money for construction
of the Baltimore Annapolis highway
and completion of the Philadelphia
road. he declared
AL Federal funds will be utilized
Tabler said, with most of the money
D. now awarded in contracts.
The American Automobile Associa-
ton, however. pointed out that only
s?0.6l5 of s2,050,S70 in Federal funds
allocated by the Bureau of Public
Roads had been expended for con-
st-uction. Codd said he did not know
where the association obtained the
data, but the figures are incorrect. "
A. A. A. Figures Denied.
The A. A A. charged that the State
had submitted plans for the expendi-
rure of $3.50 ,s07 of Federal funds in
> road construction. but that the
schedule has not been approved and
no plans have been presented for use
of the remaining sl.577,447 The COM
mission also denied the accuracy Of
these sums.
The less than 100000" diverted
from any sort of highway work, direct
or indirect, since 1880, Codd explained,
went into the State general fund. All
other tax receipts, he said, have gone
into construction. maintenance, indi-
rect rebates or payment of road bond
debts, both county and State.
No large Improvements to the
Pike or the Defense High
way are included in the current high
way program Of some $5,000,000.