A MAJOR battle is expected in this 

 session of the state legislature 

 over a proposal backed by the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association 

 to use part of the state gasoline 

 tax for township roads. Rural roads 

 have never shared in the gas tax before 

 and it is probable there will be bitter 

 opposition to the idea from some 

 groups. 



The proposal for sharing the funds 

 has been recommended by the Illinois 

 Highway and TraflFic Problems Commis- 

 sion which has been making an exhaus- 

 tive study of the state's road problems. 

 The Commission, authorized by the 

 1947 session of the legislature, has 

 tentatively decided to recommend that 

 the gasoline tax be increased from three 

 to five cents. 



It is proposed that 12V2 per cent of 

 the net receipts from the entire tax of 

 five cents would go to township and 

 road districts for local roads. It is 



estimated that this would provide ap- 

 proximately 101/2 million dollars per 

 year to the township districts. 



The state would get 371/2 P^r cent 

 from the net receipts of the tax for 

 state roads, the counties would get 25 

 per cent for county roads and the cities 

 25 per cent for city streets. This dis- 

 tribution would give the state a sub- 

 stantial increase and the counties and 

 cities a slight increase. 



Earl C. Smith, former lAA president, 

 is a member of the Commission and has 

 been spokesman for those members on 

 the Commission who were trying to get 

 a share of highway user funds for local 

 roads. Mr. Smith and those who have 

 supported his position have done an 

 excellent job in getting the Commission 

 to see the problems of paying for the 

 cost of rural roads and bridges. 



If the Commission in its final reports 

 sticks to the recommendation that rural 

 roads share in the gasoline tax fund, the 



next job will be to get the Illinois legis- 

 lature to adopt it. 



In the last two sessions of the state 

 legislature, the lAA has been successful 

 in securing two special appropriations 

 of 15 million dollars each for local 

 roads. However, the lAA has main- 

 tained that it is only fair that the state 

 recognize its responsibility in improv- 

 ing rural roads by the sharing of gaso- 

 line tax, motor vehicle Or other tax 

 monies. 



Another recommendation that the 

 Commission is considering and which 

 the lAA will support if it is contained 

 in the final report has to do with the 

 size of road districts. 



The Commission is considering a pro- 

 posal that after a short period, two or 

 three years, state funds will not be allo- 

 cated to a township or road district un- 

 less the district has a minimum of at 

 least 40 or 30 miles of local roads to 

 maintain. 



This will require in many instances 

 that two or more townships be con- 

 solidated for road purposes. It has 

 been suggested that in the consolidated 

 township districts, the supervisor and 

 town clerk of the townships which are 

 combined might constitute a board of 

 highway commissioners which would 

 employ a road supervisor and in general 

 direct the highway program in the 

 township. This would give all areas in 

 the combined district representation 

 and the persons on the board would be 

 acquainted with conditions in their own 

 areas. 



The lAA recognizes that the state 

 cannot be expected to allocate funds 

 indefinitely to units which are too small 

 for efficient administration. There will 

 have to be some consolidation for high- 

 way administration purposes. 



The question of tractor licenses also 

 has come before the Commission. One 

 of the charges made before the Com- 

 mission is that farm tractors are using 

 the highways for the transportation of 

 farm products and supplies without 

 payment of any license fee. 



It is probable that the Commission 

 will recommend that a license be re- 

 quired for wagons or trailers pulled be- 

 hind a farm tractor and used for haul- 

 ing farm products or supplies. 



Wherever the tractor is used to pull 

 a wagon or trailer that is transporting 

 property, a license on the wagon or 

 trailer would be required. A license 

 would not be required where the tractor 

 is pulling a plow, disc, or other farm 

 implement over the highway. The li- 

 censes for wagons or tractors would be 

 interchangeable. 



The Illinois Agricultural Association 

 legislative committee working in the 

 interests of farmers at Springfield in- 



L A. A. RECORD 



