Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXV, Number 37, 8 January 1941 — Three Additional States Votes For Road Protection [ARTICLE]

Three Additional States Votes For Road Protection

Hainl 11. Markhaii), diivcior of 1 iu' Auun'kan Petroleum In<.lustt'ieij v'oni3iiitioe, annouiu-eil toda.v tliat «■niistirutional ainen(liiients proteetin.ii' hijrluvuy tunds lihv« becm ratilioU by a substantial niajority of iiie vorers in Idalio, Nevada, and Soutli Dakota at the Novetuber sth <'U j ction. lierurns from ldaho slio\v that the road proteotion amendement was can ied liy a nuijority of three to oik\ whilo a simSlar amendment in Nt>vada given a favorable vote of nearly four to one. In Somh Dakota the so-called "better aiul s;it'er roads aii)endnient" likewiso pa#sed by a substantiai maruiii, the only amendment 011 (he hallot th;il passed. Ai iion 10 tk>diciite gasoline and vv>liii'U» registration tax ivvemies to roail improvement pur"poses has bwn s\veepinji; the i'ountry durinj: tlu> pa>t live ,vear-s." Mr, Mnrkhani declared. ••Jusr as ihe frasoline tax, alier beinjt origitiated in (>regou. was ;t(ioL>ied by siate after state to {irovhle funds for needed lii§liway lmprovements. so ameudments are now beiug adopted by an ever increasiii}ī number of &tates to insure tliat tlie intent of the sperial ltii;liway taxes is carried out and the uK»ney is actually vised for the adminisrration, īnainlenanee, and uuproveuient of the highway systeius. "L'rior to 1i)35 coustitulional pix>leelion for hi}i'hway funds was provided in Missouri, Katisas, and Minnesota. Their experience proved so suciessful that ei£)tt: states siiue liieu have fo!lowed suit, ineludiiii, r Coiorado in 1 : Califoruia. utt<l Xew Hitttipsltire in 1938; North I>;»kota at a speclal election iu June of this yeur; and ldaho, Nevada, aiul South Dakota at the general eleelion on Novemhor rult. SimīUu' umvtKULieuts nw in several states. "The eUnen states whieli have adopted aiueudments of tliis kind are as.sured a <ominuation of tli'eir higliway iinprovement programs, an<l ltave prorected themselves against lo.ss <u' federal highway funds. These ameudments have autOJ»atieally removed from tlie property taxpayers any threat that the hurden of hnaiti.iny: higliwai"s will be thrown iuin iheir iap, and they likewisje prevent a disproportlouate siiare of t!ie tvHal tax load froiu beiug plat*ed upo» the uiotor veliicle raxpayers. Witei\» hitfhwuy debts are still outstanding, tliese ameudments heip to L>ulwark Uie eredit of tlie state and at the mm« time safeguard ttie investuient of the highway boudholders by assuriu£ ade<iuate funds ro autortize Uie boiMis on >rhedule. • iUitiiiratio!i of four sucli amendments during J«W wus especiaily tiinely. It wiii preserve iutaet the iiiff3twny funds ot the.se siates and euahle them to undertake such defense higiiway improvenients as the War Depariuieui and the Publie Roa d s A(ltuinistrutioo believe sh«>u'd ltave priorit} .''