Milford chronicle., 1955-10-07


IN DELAWARE BRIDGE C0NTROVERSY
The State Of Delaware built the Della
ware Memorial Bridge at no cost to the State
of New Jersey-Or, for that matter, any
other State. 1t is true that under the terms
of the Federal legislation authorizing the
construction Of the bridge Delaware is to
operate the bridge toll free when the struc-
learn there is nothing TO prohibit Delaware
from deferring final payment on the bonds
now issued.
Our State has been overrun with traffic
created by the bridge; especially in those
sections of New Castle County adjacent to
the bridge. All indications are that it will
increase. Looking to the future when our
State will have to assume all operating and
maintenance costs at. staggering cost to
such small State, our State officials have
attempted to work out plans whereby re-
ceipts from the bridge may be diverted to the
construction of through ways and other ap-
prOach highways made necessary Dy tne IN
creasing heavy traffic created by the bridge
New Jersey took care of herself by con-
structing a toll highway which users of the
bridge must pay to use on the New Jersey
side. Now New Jersey plans to tax Delaware
for the bridge approaches on the New Jersey
side. To us it seems lack Of appreciation for
the outlet provided them by Delaware.
Delaware should Immediately strike back.
We have one weapon at our disposal which
can make our neighbOr give pause and think
twice before proceeding further. Why not
make every bridge approach road leading
from Route 13 and Route 40, as well as less
er roads leading to the bridge, toll roads
The overwhelming number of Out-Of-State
cars and trucks using the bridge can be made
to pay their proportion Of the operation costs
in this manner. The toll charge should be
made large enough to carry all bridge oper-
,Asr DC 1o xryoH &c fhn cost of OnnTqf1nC
the toll roads. Some plan OF this sort Will
eventually have to be worked out Why not
begin now to explore the possibilities OF
suCil plan? 1t might be solution OF the
BRIDGES financial problems and at the same
time it may cause New Jersey to stop and
reappraise her taxing plans. 1t is time to
fight fire with fire.
MAKE R. E. A. SELF-SUPPORTING
Whether or not the establishment OF the
Rural Electrifcation Commission was nee.
essary or desirable is debatable question
What does not seem to be debatable is that Its
usefulness has pretty well ended.
That is the gist of Hoover Commission
Task Forces view of REA, expressed IN {
report on the government lending agencies
A Christian Science Monitor account of th'
recommendations says: "Since 90 per cent O.
all farms are now electrified, the Rura
Electrifcation Administration should be pu
on a self-supporting basis and merged int
private enterprise. 1t is not self-suppOrting
having suffered net loss of S5,48O,OOO il
1854 and it owed the treasury more thai
$4,000, 100000"
The Task Forces report cited the RE-
as one of the agencies which received hiddel
subsidies, saying: Several of the lending
agencies pay lower rate of interest to tn
treasury than the treasury must pay tn
public for long-term loans" This, it con
tinued, "amounts to hidden subsidy to tn
benehciaries Of that agency. Such benef
Charles are a fraction of the people and tn
burden must be borne by the general tax
payer"
Actually, it is now time that we starte
getting the government out of the power bus
mess entirely-starting with IVA, as Dea
Clarence Manion proposed in radio addres
which has received nationwide attentlo
and a great deal of endorsement. The gol
ernment power projects and bureaus are al
in one way or another, taX-subsidized. The
are all tax eaters And they do nothing thu
regulated private enterprise cannot do Z
well or better-while paying heavy taxes *
the privilege.
SMALL DARK CLOUD
Nations Business observes that the y
come tax is a small dark cloud looming lar
49, ~