MONEY FOR ROADS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 31, 5 August 1933, Page 15

MONEY FOR ROADS

"HANDS OFF" ATTITUDE

CALIFORNIA EMPHATIC

The latest attempt in California io. divert petrol taxation money from its stipulated road building and maintainance purpose was defeated heavily at a State poll. The motoring editor of the San Francisco "Chronicle," who; has been keen in the fight against the proposed "raid," waxes jubilant in the following terms:— "Oh! Oh! What a rout. "Could there have been anything more decisivo than, the defeat of the gasoline tax diversionists at last Tuesday's special election? "Again by a vote of better than three to one did the people of' California go on record as being unalterably opposed to the use of the moneys collected through the gasoline tax levy for other than road building and maintenance purposes. "For months past the leading civic organisations in the State, motoring clubs and associations, and the 'Chronicle' waged-a tireless educational war pointing out the dangers of allowing raids on tho gas tax funds and. the- success of this campaign was voiced by 'the voters of the State in binding the itching fingeis of a lot of crafty politicians and preventing them from dabbling into these moneys which were collected specifically for. highway construction purposes. "With the defeat of the gas raiders' subtle plan to pay off old highway bond indebtedness with current' gas tax collections, California has been launched on a new era of highway development leading to vast economic benefits. , "Following closely on action, by tho Legislature adding GGOO miles of im-

portanfc county roads and through routes in cities.to the. State i- highway system, practically doubling the milage of the State system of roads, defeat of gasoline tax diversion assures completion of this enlarged system on a "pay as you go' basis. "The heavy vote cast against diversion also assures California a place in the front rank of progressive States in highway development, Vwith a steady growth of the benefits brought by an adequate system of motor routes. Among these boneflts is the heavy volume of motor tourist travel which already constitutes a major source of income, bringing more than 220,000,000 dollars a year into the State. "Construction Df essential highway projects already budgeted for. the next two"-years, many of which might have had to be abandoned or drastically curtailed in the event of diversion, can go' forward as planned. This means continued employment for thousands of highway workers, as well as tho advantages brought to many sections of the State by rOad improvements. "By the decisivo character of their vote against diversion of gasoline taxes the people of California have reaffirmed a policy which should permanently protect the tax against use for any other purposes than highway construction and maintenance." There are four ominou3 words in the above which will not be lost sight of by the more deeply thinking people of this, country. They are this "pay as you go" basis. That is the right note to strike for all roading that is not in the nature of development work.