Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-10-19 | Page 6 | Save the Gasoline Tax

Save th the Gasoline Tax THE first effective proposal to be made to protect pro pro- THE 1 teet the state gasoline tax from unwarranted invasion is made by the Associated ted Civic Clubs Lof Southern Utah At a meeting pf of f representatives tives of civic bodies in 15 southern Utah counties counties coun- coun 1 ties Saturday not one voice was raised against t r the idea of seeking a constitutional amendment to safeguard the special levy from diversion from its its' proper and intended purpose Quite to the the contrary everyone was enthusiastic in support of ot the proposal and will press a vigorous fight to gain gain- this objective when the legislature convenes con con- venes venes The The resolution advancing the program must lie on the table for 30 days under the rules but there can be no doubt that it will be adopted It should be expected that other civic bodies over the entire state will be eager to follow the praiseworthy step taken at Kanab Other states are faced with similar threats to the gasoline tax In Virginia a strong movement movement movement move move- ment is on to amend the state constitution forthe forthe for forthe the the same purpose Maine voters by referendum passed at the September election a bill prohibiting prohibit prohibit- ing diversion The issue is a live one in other parts of the country It is not only utterly unfair to motorists who pay this tax for a specific purpose to suggest that any part of it should be taken for state financing of unrelated undertakings but it would strike at the general welfare to do so For one illustration take the case of a nonuser of any type of motor vehicle The state road system is vital to him in many ways It is his his- connection with the producers of the state whose products he must use As a buyer to market highways highways highways high high- ways serve him as much as they do those who use them for travel If his own products are are sold in the scattered communities of the state the networks of roads in the state serve him as much as they do the actual users of the roads and highways Other examples could be cited to great number Protecting the tax becomes a concern of all the people not only of those using the roads for business or pleasure To divert any 4 part of the tax also strikes at at developing the Ii potentialities in the tourist industry properly industry properly V s called so-called because of bi f the size to which it has already already already al- al ready come and its promise of expansion The f tourist brings a vast amount of money into the state each y year ar and takes out of it only memories memories mem- mem vories ories of happy days spent here among unrivaled wonders of nature and of a state to which he may desire to return to make his home and invest his capital The extent and conditions of Utah's highway system will have much to do with the character of his impressions The proposal made at Kanab is wholly r reasonable reasonable rea- rea a- a and nd offers a highly practical method of safeguarding what is the interest of the whole population We hope the matter will receive the support of minded civic-minded individuals and civic clubs in every quarter of the state