The Fight for Local Control of Rural Roads

The county, outside of incorporated cities, is divided into districts or towns, each one of which is self-governing along certain lines. The town officials consist of supervisors, an overseer of highways, a clerk, an assessor, a treasurer, a justice of the peace, and a constable. The town, through its officers, makes its own assessments, levies its own taxes, and spends its own money. The theory is that those at home know best what they want. Experience has shown that it saves fully 50% of the road money. Under our present system, one overseer has to look after the roads in upwards of 500 square miles of territory, and it is a physical impossibility to cover these roads thoroughly. Under township organization, each small stretch of road is given to someone to keep up, and a few minutes of work when needed saves 75% of the repair bill. It has been the common talk of this community that at a recent election, one of the candidates threatened that unless the Finley precinct supported him, they would get no road funds. Figures compiled by deputy assessor Hughes show that the lower valley during the past eight years has received back in work on the roads less than 5% of the money it has paid into the county road funds. We are tired of the extravagance, the inefficiency, and the waste of our present system.