The Winslow Mail

NAVAJO COUNTY
WILL LOSE MUCH
MONEY FOR ROADS

The action of the seventh legislature leaves the counties of the state in a quandary as to future construction of roads, and unless a special session of the legislature is called, work on state highways may cease altogether.

A letter from H. S. McClusky, secretary to Governor Hunt and budget secretary, outlines the situation as applies to Navajo county. His letter follows:

"As you are aware, the seventh legislature failed to pass a bill providing finances for the state highway department.

"The senate had a bill under consideration to place the finances of the department on a basis where the work of the department could go on, but the house notified the senate that it would refuse to consider and pass a highway appropriation bill.

"The question as to the adequacy of the bill passed in 1923 to carry the department for the next two years—even though it is held to be still in effect—is, therefore, important to the taxpayers of the state.

"The 1923 law is wholly inadequate for the needs of the department. As amended the last night of the session in 1923 it failed to provide the necessary revenues to carry on the work of the department and to pay its debts inherited from the previous administration.

"It is true that if all the revenues raised by the bill were credited to the state highway department, the amount so raised would be nearly adequate, but by setting up the 75 per cent funds for the use in the various counties and taking 50 per cent of the gasoline tax for the use of counties on county roads, it leaves the highway department in a position where it is unable to match federal aid moneys available for use in this state. This means that approximately $1,700,000 of federal aid money will revert to the federal government for lack of finances to match it.

"Under the provisions of the 1923 law, if an effort is made to operate under it for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1925, and ending June 30, 1926, the highway department, if it receives the full co-operation of all boards of supervisors in the use of the 75 per cent funds, will be able to maintain the highways of the state and complete the projects enumerated on the attached sheet.

"You will note, therefore, that while Navajo county has $4,000 available for construction, the amount is inadequate to undertake any federal aid project in Navajo county. To undertake to utilize this money on any but a federal project would mean a loss to the state in federal aid of approximately three dollars for every dollar expended.

"It seems to be the consensus of opinion that to call the legislature back in extra session to consider highway legislation would be barren of results. We are, therefore, calling the matter to your attention so that the whole situation may receive the careful consideration of the members of your board and the taxpayers of your county and it may be that by consulting with your representatives in the seventh legislature, in due time a solution may be found to save for the state the $1,700,000 of federal aid which present conditions indicate will be lost to the state due to the failure of the legislature to provide finances."