The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-08-29
FAVORS SMALL HARBORS
AIDED BY GAS TAXES
Governor Recommends Taxes
From Boat Be Added to Fed
eral Funds to Develop
State HarbOrS

"A proposed state marltlme au-
thority to develop the smaller
harbors and waterways of North
Carolina with a budget of a mil
lion and a half dollars, was con-
tanned in the message of Cover
nor w. Kerr Scott at the annual
Farm and Home Week roundup
in Raleigh last week.
Governor Scott thinks the $685.
900 refund to boat owners in gas
taxes should be retained and with
funds from the Federal Govern
ment and spent in the state for
the improvement and development
of boat harbors. The Governor
said the following:
AS we face this problem, we
should keep before our eyes the
basic fact that what is good for
some people Of the State benefits
all the people and that down east
along the North Carolina coastline
which incidentally is the long
est coastline of any state in the
union-there awaits a golden op-
portunity and economic challenge.
Under present laws, rules and
regulations operators of private
and commercial boats and ships
that ply the waterways of North
Carolina are related the tax on
the gasoline used in their marine
engines. A study of the gasoline
tax refunds in the 10 counties
which border the coastline shows
that marine engine gasoline tax
revenues amount to approximately
225 thousand dollars a year.
This sum might we'll be retained
by the State and usel in dredging
and otherwise improving the wat
erways and channels to provide
more fruitful fishing and recrea-
tional facilities.
The States seafood industry,
important to those who depend
upon it for their daily bread and
to those of US who relish and de-
light in fresh seafood, could cas-
lily be doubled, yes, tripled in
volume. And this increase could
be accomplished without cost to
the general public.
1t might be we'll to create
North Carolina Maritime Author
ity and charge it with the develop
ment and maintenance of our
waterways in the same manner as
the State Highway and Public
Works Commission is charged
with the development and main
tenance of the highways. Activi-
ties of such a Maritime Authority
would be supported in exactly the
same manner as activities of the
Highway Department are sup
ported-by gasoline taxes paid by
the users of the facility.
And, like the highway system,
the waterway system would have
availa Bile federal government
funds to assist in development and
maintenance. Experience has dem
onstrated that federal participa-
ton in waterways is much higher
percentage-wise than is the case
in the highway system. Under
normal conditions six federal dol
lars are matched with each state
dollar.
Under such a matching arrange
ment, if the 225 thousand dollars
were retained, there would be
available something like million
and a half dollars a year to carry
out the purposes of the proposed
State Maritime Authority.
Other benefits will flow from the
modernization and improvement
of the States marine highways:
recreational and health building
opportunities for all the people of
North Carolina; and substantial
increase in the tourist dollar left
in our State by the five thousand
See HARBORS, Page Eight