The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1957-11-22
Editorial
Who Committed "PoIiticuI Sabotage"
On Highway Program?

Two of highway commission Saturday asserted
that certain misnformed individuals constitute lone of the
greatest barriers the continued and of
Montana highway program
The statement by the two commissioners L. v Swanson and
Sorres obviously made in reply to highly critical
by Lieut. Gov Paul Cannon earlier last week. anent
the continuing highway controversy Cannon placed the blame
for legislative failure to provide more funds quare at the
door of Goveror Aronson.
To begin with the SwansonSorels is ludcrous
in the extreme How could Cannon else not directly
associated with the policy and administrative functions of the
highway department constitute lone of the greatest barriers
to the successful progress of the highway program?
What Cannon had say the Governors responsibility,
fact matter how strongly partisan devo-
tees OF the Administration may attempt to shit the blame by
such hollow excuses voiced by Swanson and Sorres IN claim
that legislation for additional highway financing reached
Aronsons desk AS pointed last week. when the mile
truck taxing proposal was before the legislature the Governor
SHE'D from backing his highway commission chairman
support of the bill Governor Aronson had but the
word and all probability the weighmle bill would have also
made it through the Senate Passage of that bill would have
assured continuation of the extra onecent gasoline put
twoyear stopgap by the 1855 Legislature
The SwansonSoeIs assertion that Aronson praised the
work of the Highway FactFinding Committee is far
goes only read Governors State the
State to realize that although the weightme
posa by far the most important recommendation of the
committee found it convenient avoid all mention
of it in his message.
The Governor did find it convenient to sign one contro
versla piece OF Legislation involving highway financing That
HB 120 which places per of the financial RESPONSE
bt of utility line relocation the highway department U
ties by law are given free easements on highway rqt
for and telephone poes pipelines etc. Opponents
of HB 12O including the Governors highway department.
tended that since utilities ree riders public rghtsof
the State under obligation to replace their lines
when piece of highway relocated Highway department
figures indicate that the annual cost of replacing
utility lines the accelerated construction program
underway will be several hundred thousand dollars year.
providing the validity of the law currently being chal
lenged in the courts, is upheld.
Swanson and Sorres contend that loss of about S million
annually due to the tax cuback January 5 will
cost the State of Montana between 900 and 81 million in
highway construction year. Since the motor continues
cents gallon of gasoline by their figures there
will be available between $50 million and S66 million for
when federal matching included Where
and how will that tidy sum OF money be spent? Will it be spent
highway construction? Will it be spent excessive rights
oway costs? When do begin getting the highways
under construction that the accelerated federal
supposed to bring about? Until such time
tangible results all this whoop-to-do the
gallon tax must be considered for exactly what
modus operend for political buck passing by
ton which makes much of its sound* busneske handling
of the affairs of the people of Montana.