Evening star., 1940-07-26
Opposes Increase in
District Gas Tax
Proposal Held Solely for
Benefit of Persons in
Nearby Counties

/ To the Editor Of The Star:
The decision to have hearings on Au-
gust by special subcommittee OF the
House District Committee to consider the
Randolph bill, raising the District gas tax
from cents to cents, seems to me q
rather unusual procedure to take in the
case Of an ordinary bill. Much more so
is the invitation to conference to the
Governors of the States of Maryland and
Virginia, the purpose of which is to dis
cuss various projected outlets to (and
through the District, from these respec-
tive States, ard to arrive at a COM
promise agreement to build highways,
provided the District hikes its gas tax
OF all the lame excuses offered by pro-
ponents of bills to raise the District gas
tax, the idea of compromising" with
Maryland and Virginia in order to induce
those States to do some things they
should do anyway Gin view of all the
benefits their residents receive from the
District is the worst. Representative
Randolph seems to me to be placed in q
difficult position for man who has tried
to help the District in various ways. He
has no real legitimate argument for an
attempt to raise the tax in fact the Dis
trict is saving large amounts for projects
OF the future for which gas-tax money
may be used. Diversion of gas-tax funds
to the general fund Of the District has
been decisively repudiated by the people
of the District
So out of clear sky comes something
which bears all the earmarks of political
manipulation. Something which is labeled
"a compromise" yet from which the Dis
trict receives no benefit; in fact, it stands
to lose Federal-aid road funds Mary
land and Virginia would benefit by a
raise In our gas tax, because more money
would be spent for gas in those States.
Maryland and Virginia are supposed to
agree Through their Governors to build
new highways leading into the District
There is no way that I know of, that
these States may be compelled to carry
out such an agreement. They risk moth
Ing. Any one who has motored to anv
extent in Maryland and Virginia realizes
that much improvement is needed on ex-
listing roads and highways. Virginia has
made greater effort at road building of
late, but she is still behind
Do you think that the taxpayers of
other counties of Maryland and Virginia
than those Immediately adjoining the
District would agree to a plan whereby
new outlets would be provided to the
District of Columbia which would take
| priority over their local roads and high
ways? I don't. The residents of Mary
land counties west Of Washington have
| become more concerned as to who is get
ting new road Improvements, to cite one
/ instance. So such an agreement may not
| hold water.
| My local citizens association, the Ma
| tlonal Gateway Citizens Association, has
/ taken vigorous stand against this pro-
/ posed increase in the tax. Other organiza-
| tlons have done likewise So now this
| bill is to be given an impetus just at a
time when most organizations are in
! summer recess, and their members away
on vacations. Perhaps in the fall. some
compromise may have been reached This
will make the fight against the enact
ment Of this bill that much harder.
WILLIAM P. THOMAS, Jr.,
EX-President National Gateway
Citizens Association.
| .JulV l5