The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-11-14
One Billion
Dollars Paid
In Gas Taxes
Sum Raised in u. S. Will
Reach That Figure on
November Is.
TAKES $25 TO $40 FROM
EVERY CAR OWNER

Montana motorists, truckers, gas
oline station operators and others
interested in highway stransporta-
ton are being asked to pause for a
.breathless moment" at II o'clock
on Friday morning, November Is,
in celebration of the day that the
nations annual gasoline tax bill
passes the billion-dollar mark. Au-
tomobile clubs, trucking associations
and other highway user groups in
many sections of the country are
cooperating. in celebration of the
event
Last year the 'breathless mo-
nent' fell on December Is, but gas
oline tax collections have been ac-
CELEBRATED greatly in 1910 and the
81 900 100000 will be reached one
whole month ahead of last year.
said G. c. Stevenson, Secretary
Montana Petroleum Industries Com
mittee, who is cooperating in the
celebration of the event in this state
1T is estimated by automotive sta
tisticians" he said, that the breath
taking moment will be reached on
Friday, November IS
In explaining how the red-letter
day of the motorists has jumped up
a month on the calendar, Mr.. Stew
enson pointed to three factors which
have accelerated greatly the speed
of gasoline tax collections in 1910
First" he said, lis the increase in
the federal gasoline tax, which be-
came effective July | and will add
about SIS 900, 600 to the nations gas
oline tax bill. Second, is the in
crease of 100000 in motor vehicle
registrations over last year. That
is gain Of five per cent. Third,
automobile and truck owners are
using their cars about three per
cent more than last year.
The three factors of higher fed
eral gasoline tax rate, greater num-
Der of motor vehicles and greater
individual use will increase the ma
tons gasoline tax bill for 1910 by
$4,000, 900, gain of II per cent
over last year This will push the
estimated total gasoline tax revenue
of the state and federal governments
for the year to the breath taking
total of 81, 162, 10000
Gasoline taxes are paid by the
people of Montana and other states
in two ways. First, the average fam
lily pays more than $40 in higher
costs of food, clothing and other
necessities because of the gasoline
taxes paid in operating trucks to
move goods to meet the needs of
American families Virtually ev-
erything used by family moves
part or all of its journey in trucks
over the highways. Second, Ameri-
can families pay taxes on gasoline
used in their own cars. Two out of
every three families in the United
States own automobiles-more than
the families owning their homes.
Such families, besides contributing
$40 of truck gasoline taxes hidden
in the cost of food, clothing, etc,
also pay from SIS to $40 annually in
federal and state taxes on the gas
cline used in their cars.
Montana motorists will make a
substantial contribution towards the
billion-dollar tax bill that creeps
up on us a whole month ahead OF
last year, ironically crowding ahead
of Thanksgiving on the calendar.
Il earnestly urge every motorist
every farmer and merchant who
uses truck in earning livelihood
every trucker and all other persons
in this state who are interested in
highway transportation, to pause for
breathless moment on Friday, No
vember u.s." said Mr.. Stevenson
and it would be we'll to realize that
this tax, born only 81 years ago
takes from every American family
more than $40 each year in the form
of higher costs of food and other
necessities; that it takes SIS to SAC
year from car-oWning families :
More than half of the car-oWnine
families in Montana have incomes
of less than $50 week, studies by
the federal government Indicate Fol
those families the gasoline tax takes
from one to two weeks income
That is a momentous situation. Fit.
tingly it is observed by billion
dollar breathless moment"
Hosea Elected Public Administrator