Berkeley, a Look Back: Automobile tax bills were in works 100 years ago

"Chief Assessor Harry J. Squires reported that Berkeley residents owned 15,000 automobiles, an increase of more than 3,000 cars over the previous year, with Berkeleyans having spent more than $11,000,000 on automobiles in the last five years. Squires was planning to mail out assessment cards and tax bills to 13,054 motor car owners."

"In the mid-1920s rail transit was still robust in Berkeley with two competing streetcar lines, numerous routes serving most of the city, interurban trains and regular ferries to and from San Francisco. Still, automobile ownership and use was rapidly growing, necessitating infrastructure changes."

"City Manager John Edy reported a plan to increase the number of paved streets in Berkeley to better handle increased traffic. The plans call for certain streets to be paved and equipped to handle heavy traffic, which will then be diverted to them. This will save the cost of maintenance and result in the city having more money to spend on residential streets."

In March 1926, Berkeley Chief Assessor Harry J. Squires reported 15,000 automobiles registered in the city, representing a 3,000-car increase from the previous year. Residents had invested over $11 million in automobiles within five years. Squires prepared to mail assessment cards to 13,054 motor car owners and expected 2,000-3,000 additional registrations from the state. Despite robust rail transit including two competing streetcar lines, interurban trains, and ferries to San Francisco, automobile ownership grew rapidly. City Manager John Edy responded by planning infrastructure improvements, proposing to pave Berkeley's 170 miles of oil-macadamized streets with asphalt to create an arterial highway system, diverting heavy traffic to designated routes while preserving residential streets.

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