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Show City Joins In Protest Against State Diversion Of Car License Money American Fork city officials this week joined with the Utah Municipal league and other cities and counties in protesting pro-testing the diversion of $800,000 in automobile registration funds from the municipal units to the state. The American Fork city council has taken a definite stand against the plan proposed by Governor Herbert B. Maw, and is supporting the Utah Municipal Muni-cipal league in its efforts to prevent the move. The city's stand on the matter also has been made known to the state legislators from Utah county. "It is absolutely vital to keep these funds for the city," Mayor O. De Vere Wootton said in explaining the city's stand on the question. "While the state has added many new sources of revenue sales taxes, income in-come from liquor sales, and new taxes and licenses of various types this is the first new source of income in-come which has been given to the cities. The state has many sources of revenue; the city has few. "American Fork has 22 miles of streets to keep up, and in the past three years the city's share of the automobile license funds has been of great value in this work. If the funds are taken away, the city will be forced to increase the tax levy or cut down on road improvements. "Governor Maw has proposed that the funds to be diverted would be used to advertise Utah's scenic attractions, at-tractions, and that road work be done by the state. We feel that the city can use this money much more efficiently than the state, for a consistent con-sistent street-improvement program. "As far as American Fork is concerned, con-cerned, we are dead opposed to the plan." . . , Records kept by Recorder Karl H. Bennett show that American Fork received $2,007 in automobile license money in 1938, the same mount in 1939, and $2,765 in 1940. . Last year's allotment was equivalent to 2 mills tax levy on the city's tax valuation. With the funds, from this source, American Fork in the past three years has graveled three miles of streets and oiled three miles. In addition to the large amounts paid by local motorists for their license plates, the state also receives in the neighborhood of $30,000 a year from American Fork in gasoline gaso-line taxes. Of the 5y2 cents tax, the state receives 4 cents, and on the volume of gasoline sold in American Ameri-can Fork the revenue runs into large figures. o |
