Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 465

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

MEMORIALIZING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENACT LEGISLATION PROVIDING FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM THE FIELD OF GASOLINE TAXES.

WHEREAS, The federal gasoline tax is levied upon the users of American highways; and

WHEREAS, The highway system of this country and the highway systems of the several states are rapidly deteriorating because the funds needed to develop and maintain a modern highway network are not available; and

WHEREAS, The federal government is now distributing to the states only about two-thirds of the revenue which it is deriving from the federal gasoline tax and is diverting the remainder to its other purposes; and

WHEREAS, If the federal government would withdraw from the field of gasoline taxes and the several states would increase the taxes imposed by them on gasoline and motor vehicle fuels in an amount equal to the federal tax on gasoline, a much larger amount of revenue would be available to the several states for the purpose of developing and maintaining a modern system of highways therein; and

WHEREAS, The Eleventh General Assembly of the States which was held in Chicago, Ill., in the month of December, 1952, at which practically all of the states of the United States were represented, went on record as favoring the withdrawal of the federal government from the gasoline tax field; and

WHEREAS, The National Conference of Governors has declared by appropriate resolution that the federal government should withdraw from the gasoline tax field: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the

117th General Assembly of the State of Delaware hereby respectfully urges and requests the Congress of the United States to enact legislation which will provide for the withdrawal of the federal government from the field of gasoline taxes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the Vice-President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, and to each member of the Delaware Congressional delegation, and to the respective houses of the legislatures of the several states of the United States.

Approved May 11, 1953.