davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-10-22
BLOObn,ObiIe
Visit Is Due

The Red Cross bloodmo.
bile will stop at the Bur-
louisville fire house Mon
day from 3 to 7:45 pm.
The visit is sponsored by
the Lions Clubs of Burtons.
vile, Colesville, and Sandy
Spring,
Persons wishing to do
nate blood should make APP.
pointments now, by con-
tacting c. w. Ricketts,, in
Burtonsville, William A.
Gebicke, Colesville, Richh-
ard B. Thomas, jr., Sandy
Spring, or the Silver Spring
chapter house, JU. S2115.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-10-22

There's excitement aplenty at the Lakewood coun-
try Club Offices And we'll there should be- Tho
magnificent golf courses planned for Lakewood are
under construction the contract for the SWIM
ming pools has been let, the tennis courts (aono
with the swimming pooIs), will be completed this
year, and the final plans for the sr-conditioned
luxurious club house are in progress and call for
grand opening next summer.
Lakewood has just obtained 40 additional acres for
the golf courses (makine the overall club layout
encompass more than 200 aeres) The golf design
is superb And next fall when Sam Snesds sweet
swing officially opens the challenging 10 hole
Championship Course with . booming drive, we
know you'll agree that Lskewood's golf facilities
are unexcelIed.
OF course, Lakewood will offer variety Of activ-
ties for all family members. And we can promise
you this; You're in for some pleasant and fun
filled surprises
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-10-22

FREDERICK A. MOORE. son
of Mr.. and Mrs. George A.
Moore, of 1108 Agnew dr.,
Rockville, returned recently
from an eight-day cruise
aboard the USS Macon. a
Navy cruiser that carried 80
National Science Fair Win
ners on a prize trip. Young
Moore entered an experiment
entitled Investigation of
Thermoelectric Cooling" in
the Nationwide contest. The
cruise emphasized electronics,
radar, engineering and the
general scientific aspects of
the U. S. Navy.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-10-22
'Optinlist Club
Here to Host
33rd District

The Rockville Optimist Club
Will be host Friday and Satur-
day to officials from AZ clubs
in the Bird (Maryland) district
of Optimist International.
Rockville Mayor Alexander
j. Greene will address the con.
ference at a luncheon Satur.
day at the Washingtonian Motel.
Principal guest will be inter.
national vice president of the
Optimists, John r. Olvey. A.
Paul Guckert, governor of the
33rd district, will preside over
the session.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-10-22
AT Mt. HerInon

Among the students enrolled
at Mount Hermon School tor
the new school year is Theodore
w. LEM, son of Rev. and Mrs.
Albert LEM of Germantown.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-10-22

monthly-installment account, If
her budget does not permit pay
ment in full. The company's
credit coupon plan will be con.
tinued, Jordan said.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
Sehotte Reviews Weiqht-Distunce vefo--

ment 81 million annually.
In addition TO writing you with
regard to this legislation, | called
your attention to the fact that one
of your colleagues, Governor Mil
lard L. Simpson of Wyoming, had
just vetoed similar legislation. as
had the following:
Governor George Docking, Kansas /;
Governor Steven L. R. McNicholls,
Colorado;
Governor Averill Hartman. New
York.
A 81 million estimate was apparent
ly far too low in view of the fact that
according to a letter from the High
way Department, dated February 10,
1859, this legislation is costing the
taxpayers in highway funds 5000
thousand for just one project.
"a number of years ago utilities
were given the right to free easements
on highway right-of-ways. In 1857,
under HB 120, the Legislature
ordered the Highway Department to
pay 1870 of cost of removing and
replacing utility lines out of highway
funds whenever piece of highway
was relocated.-EDITOR.)
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
Page Five

to assure the counties of revenue
similar to the revenue they were then
receiving. In fact, the counties, as
group. were assured of and have re-
ceived more under the GVW system
than they were receiving previously.
However. this 5 90 of the GVW tax is
given to these counties to pay them
for administration costs incurred in
collecting the fees; since this admin
istrative function would be elimi-
mated there would be no cost involved
by the counties, and naturally there
would be no need to reimburse them.
In fact, the counties, like labor,
are unsuspecting victims because
as we all realize, the necessary
matching funds for all roads, in
cluding secondary roads, are de-
rived from highway revenue and
the additional money would then
have come partially from the
weight-distance tax. and would
have been spent for the benefit
of the various counties. Ii would
have implemented the program and
made it possible for the Highway
Department to build many vitality
needed roads in our secondary sys-
tenn.
| would like to refer you to Chap
ter 7. of Enhancing Modern High
ways for Montana" which refers to
the secondary highway problem and
it was the committees idea that we
would have eventually a complete
highway network in Montana and this
cannot be done without money.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT IL
Aronson:

FtTOnsOn.
Our counties will suffer loss OF
about $JO,OO0 In revenue that they
can Ill afford under Sub. lib IDS.
This TX due to change whereby
counties would get none of the mile
age tax.
Schotte:
Your twelfth objection states that
the counties would suffer a loss of
Approximately $4,000 in revenue.
AS previously stated. l personally
wrote the 1850 Report and on Page
&c. Table No. 81. you will find cal
culation which was made and designed
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT 6
Aronson:

The total revenue which this pro-
posaI would bring In for Montana
highway construction could be less
than under the present GVW tax law.
The maximum possible revenue esti-
mated by the State Highway Depart
ment in less than 300 Thousand dol
lnrs higher than the present law.
However. this estimate fails to take
into consideration such mOney-eating
iterns az constructing and/Or re-
The people's voice., 1959-04-17

where else can they be more equit-
ably or fairly collected than from
the persons who demand the facili-
ties.
A Fact Finding Committee Report,
Financing Modern Highways for
Montana. commented on this matter
on Page 54, where it stated, "a fixed
fee per mile for the established weight
category does not appear to be fair
to the vehicle which travels empty.
1t is, in most cases, however. because
in establishing the rate per mile,
empty mileage is taken into account.
This tends to reduce the charged rate.
Also, in determining the rate for
particular gross weight category, it
is the average operating weight that
is used. Thus the rate established
takes into account empty mileage
and loads less than the maximum.
Stated another way, if charges were
not made for empty hauls. then the
rate could not take average operating
weight and empty mileage into ac-
count and the entire rate structure
would be higher for any loaded haul"
| do not recall anyone ever sug-
gesting that we consider the philoso-
ply of liability to pay. a basic con-
sideration in income tax theory. 1t
was our understanding that we were
to pursue tax theory based on the
cost occasioned by the vehicles being
used.* This seems to me to be the
fairest approach to a tax of this
nature. At this point you and l may
disagree on basic tax theory but
am sure this idea was never called
to our attention while we were work
ing on the Report.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17


on n 24-hOur-a-day basis. The cost
of training these men and setting
up n new special division must also
be considered. The new provisions
for quarterly fee payments may well
result In reduction I'm the flat fee
receipts. The Highway Department
maximum estimate does not have any
positive data possible evasion.
Neither does 1T include more than
rough estimate of the revenue from
certain lumber, ore, sand and gavef
trucks, as well as those vehicles
which travel at least half of the time
without "A load. Finally, this estimate
is based on the assumption that the
present truck travel pattern I'm Mon
tana will be maintained. This is ex-
tremely doubtful. In view of these
many factors, 1T is easy to see why
there Is good reason to suspect that
revenue under this new tax might be
less than at present, which is GER
tainIy not the way to build more and
better highways for Montana.
Schotte:
Your sixth objection states that
the revenue could be less than that
produced by the present GVW tax.
l was given brief opportunity to
view the figures prepared by the
State Highway Department while at
tending the Senate hearing, however,
I have no way of knowing how the
figures were determined or what de-
cisions were made. 1 again call your
attention to similar arguments which
were used at the hearing over which
you presided when the GVW tax was
under consideration in 1851. 1 have
carefully reviewed the 1850 Report
and information and 1 find that it
was impossible at that time to give
ycu anything except very rough esti-
mates as to the possible results if the
legislation were enacted. 1t seems
that the industry is now very happy
with the GVW, at least as happy as
any of us can be with the various
taxes we all have to pay in our
various industries and certainly the
tax did not do what they alleged it
would do. namely, cripple the indus
try.
Furthermore, this approach to
truck taxation in Oregon nets the
State $12 million annually. Montana
is less populated and there are fewer
vehicle miles travelled but it would
seem CIdC CHe duuIClOIldl T6V0Hue
should have been substantially in
excess of $500 thousand even with
5he additional exceptions which were
not recommended by the Fact Find
ng Committee and which were not
included in the 1857 bill. The possible
AK increase should have been $780,
700 to 81 million.
A national estimate has been made
which indicates that if the Oregon
law were in effect
n all 48 states and if the operating
conditions were similar to those in
Oregon, the mileage fees would
amount to approximately $3.50 mil
ion whereas the states presently col
ect about $50. 1t is quite possible
hat this is the real reason for the
aggressive and sometimes
opposition to this type
# taxation. However, if these figures
re true, it would indicate that some
me is paying for the thoroughfares
,sed by the heavy trucks.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT z
Aronson:


The entire network of reciprocity
which Montana has built up might
be thrown into turmoil by approval
of Sub. HB 22S. RetaIiatOry taxes
and restrictions would harass Mon
tana trucks and truckers. The net
result would be increased costs of
transportation. Evidently this was
also In the minds of South Dakota
Legislators, who killed similar
measure Monday in committee.
Schotte:
= Your seventh statement refers
to reciprocity. 1t is difficult for me
to understand how this can be such
an extremely difficult problem in
view of the fact that Oregon and
Idaho have reciprocity with practical
ly all of the States in the Union and
| have been advised that their recip-
rocity status with their immediate
neighbors is very good. do not know
that Montana has had any extremely
difficult problems with either of these
States. I have been advised that the
pro-ration pact which is in effect
in the Western States has been widely
praised by the trucking industry and
also understand that mileage and
fuel taxes have been specifically ex-
cluded.
Finally, you refer to action taken
by the Legislature of South Dakota.
was quite surprised to find that you
seem to place this emphasis on action
taken in neighboring state in this
particular matter especially in view
of the fact that l wrote you letter,
dated February 7, 1857. and at that
time called your attention to bill
which was under consideration and
which. according to information given
to both of us by Mr.. Scott P. Hart,
then Chief Engineer of the Highway
Department. and one of Montana's
most conscientious public servants,
and in this information, Mr.. Hart
stated that this particular legislation
could well cost the Highway Depart
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
Schotte:


Your eleventh objection states that
"this proposed law is detriment to
the working man and woman in Mon
tana". 1t also states that the law
would cause unemployment. 1t seems
to me that the exact reverse would be
the actual practical effect. A recent
study showed that every penny of
every dollar for highways can be
eventually charged as a labor invest
ment. 1t is also estimated that for
every SO thousand of highway work,
one man may be employed for one
year. Using this as a basis for cal
culating the possible effect on en-
ployment, we find that one cent gaso-
line tax produced $2,650,00O for
1858 and this added to an additional
81 million collected from the weight
distance tax would be a total of $3,-
650,000 as the possible revenue which
has been lost because this legislation
did not become law.
This could then have resulted in
additional highway construction rang
ing from $8,500,000 to $37 million.
In terms of men employed, it would
have ranged from 933 men to 4,136
men employed for one year.
When | first read your veto mes
sage and when l started to work on
this letter, naturally assumed that
the greatest loser would eventually
be the transport operator who has to
have, and who is entitled to have,
first class highway facilities and the
individual motorist. However, it now
appears that labor has been the real
victim since many job opportunities
in highway construction have been
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
Schotte:

Your tenth statement refers to
Montana products which must be
shipped East. Frankly. l am at loss
to answer this objection because l
cannot see why the weight-distance
tax "would create a trade barrier to
the East. l must confess that l am
not able to understand what you have
in mind because do not recall that
anyone has ever called attention to
the supposed fact that a weight-dis-
tance tax "is a trade barrier.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT 8
Aronson:

Such act as this would seriously
jeOpardiZe MOntana's position as the
Gateway to Alaska. We are fortunate
I'm having the AIcan highway linking
to the newest state. 1t is logical
that such a tax will cut traffic on
this link, directly affecting many
Montana communities. The same ef-
feet would be true I'm the case of AL
berta truckers. This would be blow
to the excellent relations which have
been built up with out sister province.
In addition, such n tax might fore
close any future possibility of high
way linking eastern Montana and
Saskatchewan. We do not now have
reciprocity with that province, but
eventual construction of such "a high
way is desired by most eastern Mon
tanans. There would be much less
necessity for such highway, If this
new tax prevented adequate reciprO-
cal agreements. This could easily
happen. 1t is future possibility, but
we must not be blind to progress.
Schotte:
Your eighth objection refers to the
possibility of seriously jeopardizing
Montana's position as the Gateway
to Alaska. 1t is extremely doubtful,
if not unrealistic. to assume that an
operator whose cost is in excess of
SOC per mile is going to increase his
mileage to avoid a tax increase of
one or two cents per mile. Montana
is used as an entry point because it
is a direct route and Canadian trucks
come through Montana for economic
reasons, not because of neighborly
love.
For example, 1 know of product
which is manufactured in Spokane
and hauled east by truck and north
through Great Falls to Calgary, Ed
monton and Dawson Creek. This route
is used because no more direct route
is available to the firm. The route
choices are so limited that slight
increase in fees which would provide
the required highway construction
would not drive any reasonable op-
orator off of our highways.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT 13
Aronson:

AS Governor, every piece OF Iegis-
Iation which has come to my desk has
been judged on the basis of what fs
best for the State of Montana and ITS
citizens. This sO-calied weight dis
tance tax will result In poor trans
portation facilities for Montana. Ii
Will result i'm higher freight rates at
time when our pOtentiaiities re-
quire cheaper transportation. This,
plus the many other reasons 4 have
already mentioned, can only result
I'm serious blow to the economy of
Montana.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT 10
Aronson:

Three of MOnfana's most valued
products are wheat, cattle and oil.
We are an exporting state, and these
products must be moved to market.
Most of this movement is eastward.
Yet Sub. HB 22S would create trade
barrier to the east. Montana would
be cutting off it's nose to spite it's
face.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT 9
Aronson:


This sO-calIed weight distance tax
is not really based on weight, but
upon capacity. In other words,
truck that is partly filled pays the
same tax as one which is fully loaded.
This tax is not based upon the ability
to pay, and the tax has no relation
to money actually earned or to pay
load actually carried. In my State
of the State message, L supported
''equitabIy Increased tax collections
from trucks" This bill does not meet
these qualifications.
Schotte:
Your ninth statement refers to
the fact that trucks are not always
loaded to full capacity. Again. you
will recall this similar argument was
used against the GVW tax in 1851
and the industry tried very forcefully
to sell US on recommending enact
ment of legislation using the unloaded
weight idea. However, had person
ally contacted two states in which
this idea was then in use and they
both strongly recommended that it
be avoided.
We can be sure that the trucks
which have been affected by this tax
are the ones which are usually very
well loaded because they are being
operated by extremely competent and
intelligent management who have
built this industry on policy of
pulling loaded vehicles over the high
ways.
Our highways must be built and
equipped to carry the maximum
loads specified by the operators be-
cause on a high percentage of the
trips they will expect to carry that
capacity. If an operator were to
use the road just once with his
vehicle loaded to maximum capac-
ity. the road and bridges would
have to be built to accommodate him.
Since the facilities must be pro-
vided, the costs must be paid and
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
POINT IL
Aronson:

zATOHSOH:
This proposed law IN detriment
to the working man and woman In
Montana. Any law which will hurt "a
specific industry, cause unempIOy-
ment of persons I'm that industry,
decrease revenues, cut down on money
and business cannot help labor.
The people's voice., 1959-04-17

Sec. (d) Chapter 80, Laws of Mon
tana 1855. 4th paragraph of this letter
The people's voice., 1959-04-17
Schotte:

Schotte:
Your statement number thirteen,
was a statement of opinion, and as
you realize from the foregoing, I
cannot personally agree with your
conclusions. 1t would seem to me that
either the weight-distance tax or a
tax based on a different theory sug-
gested by you would have been the
first very vital and very necessary
step toward providing better trans
portation network for the State of
Montana. 1t would seem to me that
each component of the highway traf-
fic stream should pay its fair share
in accordance with the cost occa-
stoned for providing the facilities de
manded by the various segments Of
highway users.
| would again call your attention
to the study concerning prices en-
titled. "The Effect of Commercial
Vehicle Taxation on Consumer
Prices. 1t was not the intention Of
your Fact Finding Committee to place
Montana on highway tax island.
l would like to call your attention
to one of our publications entitled,
Highway Users Tax Schedules Rec
commended in Other State Highway
Finance Studies Compared With Mon
tana". You will note this Report
shows that Montana rates are now
substantially below rates recommend
ed and being paid in other states.
Since Montana is very sparsely set
tied. there are a limited number of
vehicles and it is quite surprising
that the rates suggested in the 1857
Report were as low as they were. The
recommended rates were not subStan-
TALLY higher than the rates being
paid at that time in the IL Western
States compared in the analysis and
the payment per ton mile of operation
would have been almost identical with
those in the comparative states.
Thank you for the copy of the let
ter written to the Hon. Frank Muir
ray which referred to HB 80, Ito pro-
vide tax exemption certificates for
gasoline used for non-highway pur-
poses. Bill vetoed by Governor
PV EDITOR.)
You will recall my letter of Feb
ruary 7. 1857. previously mentioned,
to similar legislation. namely
1857 SB 90. am convinced that this
W pc VI ltBISldIlOH WOulu III a
reduction of legitimate
highway revenue. Certainly this has
been the experience in all states
where this idea has been used.
You will note / am sending a copy
Of this letter to the President of the
Senate, and to the Speaker of the
House. because the 1855 law specific
ally directed that copies of the Fact
Finding Report be given to yourself
and the other two officials of the
State of Montana.
Respectfully yours.
GEORGE B. SCHOTTE.
GBS: mp
&C: The Hon. Paul Cannon
1t. Governor. State of Montana
President of the Senate
Capitol Building
Helena, Montana
The Hon. John j. Macdonald
Speaker of the House
Jordan, Montana.
Milford chronicle., 1959-08-28
ANDREWVILLE
Mrs. Florence Walls
Phone FI.9-4354

Congratulations are extended to
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Calvert upon
the arrival of a new son, born on
Wednesday, August 10, at the Mil
ford Memorial Hospital He has
been named Mark Thomas. Mo-
ther and son are doing fine. The
Calverts have another child, a
daughter.
The Buffers Feed and Farm
Supply Company gave a chicken
dinner at the Greenwood High
School on Thursday evening, Au-
gust 20, and it was enjoyed by all.
The newly elected advisory board
members were Mrs. Russell Bow
die, Mrs. Laurence Sullivan, Rus
sell Bowdle, Harry Hanson. Dur
ing the dinner Mrs. Lester Taylor
furnished accordion music. Group
singing, led by Mrs. William Smith,
accompanied by Mrs. Tilghman
Outten at the piano; a string Choir
us was played by Walter Outten,