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Show i " ' : . ' . , . 1 I ; L,ti k' ' ' i Tendency Tov.ard Djvciing Increased , Portion cf factor Vehicles T to High'ways. (Treparcd y t'.e l'nt!1 Slates Depart-meru Depart-meru of Anculluroj I'or a iminl.iv oi yi'ars tiie general tendency loward devoting an ever-increasing jioriinn of the motor-vehicle revenues to road work under the control and direct supervision of the state highway departments has been very noticeable. Prior to 1912 only a very small portion of the motor-vehicle registration was devoted to this purpose. In 1920, 76 per cent of the revenue, or $77,531,582,57, was applied to road work under the direct supervision super-vision of the state highway departments, depart-ments, and in addition' $20,405,578.01 was applied to road work by counties or other local supervision, but with little or no direct supervision from the state highway departments. Iu most states the motor-vehicle revenues are devoted to maintenance and repair of the state roads or other improved highways. These states seem to have solved fairly 'well the difficult problem of securing funds for the maintenance of the more important im-portant roads under the ever-increasing traffic requirements. As both the traffic and the revenues increase with the number of cars, there apparently exists a possibility of so adjusting the registration rates as to keep pace with the ever-growing maintenance charges. A number of the states having in general but a small mileage of improved im-proved roads have recently adopted .he plan cf capitalizing the motor-vehicle motor-vehicle revenues and devoting these funds to road construction. The states doing this are Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. In them bonds have been voted or issued for road construction, con-struction, and the principal, in some instances also the interest, is to be paid entirely from the motor-vehicle revenue. At the beginning of 1921 there were still seven states In which motor trucks were registered at the same rate as passenger cars, but in recent years there has been a very decided tendency in most states to increase th fees required for motor trucks ovep and above those required for passenger cars. This increase is usually based on the weight of the truck and its carrying capacity, its horse-power, or a combination of these factors. The most general practice se-ams to be toward definitely limiting the maximum total road weight of the vehk'le and basing the registration fee Hauling a Large Load of Farm Produce Prod-uce in Open-Top Truck, Covereo With Canvas. on the capacity of the truck. Some few states have adopted a scale of fees, which in actual practice serves to make the operation of very heavy trucks impracticable. In Colorado, New York, and Oregon, In audition to the registration fees, a stale lax on gasoline or other products used for the propulsion of motor "eliirles is also levied. In some states not or cars are taxed as personal iirop.'Ny in addition to the required gi.Htral ion fees. In Alabama. Dcla-j Dcla-j srv. Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, New . lainpshire. New York, Carolina. Pcnn-, Pcnn-, .vlviiiin, Tennessee, and Vermont, the ! registration fees are in lieu of all I peri.otial property taxes. |