Imperial Valley press., 1938-11-07
WE SEE NO NEED ..
FOR EXPERIMENTING

i
ballot are considered together here only
because prediction campaigns have
linked them in the public mind. Actual
ly there should be no connection between
the two.
No. would write into the state con-
Stitution a provision preventing use of
state gasoline tax funds for any but high
way purposes. We are in favor of such
a provision. 1t is already part of state
law. passed by the legislature but as
bulwark against constant attack, it
should be placed where it will be proof
against whim or fancy
No. is a different matter. 1t would,
in brief
Create a five-man state highway COM
mission, each member drawing a $4,000
yearly salary, to replace the present un-
salaried highway commission, Each
member of the new commission would
hold office for 10 years, and could be
removed only by a two-thirds vote of
the state senate.
This proposed new commission would
have hitherto unheardof powers govern
ing highways, outdoor advertising (bill-
boards), toll bridges, highway crossings,
motor vehicles, and would assimilate the
present state department of public works,
state highway commission, California
Highway patrol and department of mo-
tor vehicles.
First and foremost we believe this
would be too much power concentrated
in too few hands without a sufficient
safeguarding of public policy.
We favor change and Improvement
where there is obvious need for it. How
ever there is no serious fault to be found
ho inbv iSS
1t has done its work we'll, without scan
dalous waste. The new commission, on
the other hand. would be something un-
known and untried, largely, experiment
tai in nature. 1t is too dangerous an eX
pertinent
Chief fault in the proposal lies in the
appointment of high-salaried commission
ers for 10-year terms They would, we
believe. cease to be responsive to public
demand-and there would be no way the
public could enforce its wishes. The pres
ent commissioners, named for cOmpara-
lively short terms, are subject to the
wishes of the public as expressed in its
vote for the governor We need not, now,
wait 10 years to throw out an admins
tratiOn We do not like.
Neither do We believe it necessary for
five highway commissioners to be estab-
lished in full time jobs, any more than
El Centro city cOuncilmen should spend
full time on their positions, or chamber
of commerce directors should devote all
their energies to the chamber of COM
merce jobs. All such organizations. up
through congress to the Presidency, have
executives, and so does the highway de
partment in the person of its state high
way engineer.
The engineer is the trained expert, up
on whose reports the commissioners act.
He knows population, soil, travel Stats
tics and other facts. He now draws a
salary for doing the work five men would
be asked to do. under five salaries, if
this measure were passed.
in the support given this measure by
two major automobile clubs, we see the
danger that the commissioners, owing
their jobs to the auto clubs, would feel
obligated to them. And we see no reason
why the auto clubs with memberships
representing only small percentage of
California motorists, should control state
highway affairs.
Few farmers wish to put their acreage
into one untried crop; few merchants
put all their cash into one untried brand
of merchandise; why should the public
put all its highways into one untried
scheme?