Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-09-16

cosxCsl PsoCKRoNGA
SxA1rIx, Sept. Is, 1850.
Council metporsuant to adjournment.
Pressnt-His Honor, the Mayor, h.
@. Struve, and Councilmcn Cosper,
Collins, Gasch. Mcdonald, Manning and
Raiein.
PETITIONS kKCKIvED.
From l.. 3. Howe, for night to lay
water pipes in the STREETS. Referred.
From Geo. Kinneaf and others, for
grading of Second street, from nil to
King street. Referred 70 the Committee
on Streets.
COMMUNICATIONS AND RkPOKrs.
From tho City Surveyor, recommend
ing certain changes In She Union street
grade. Referred TO the Committee on
Streets.
From the Mayor, returning Ordinance
306 without his approval. The follow
ing are his reasons:
OyYIcE OF THE MAJOR
or THE CRY or SRATTLk,
September Il. 1882.
To the Hon. Common Coanca If the City
Of Seattle:
GExrLKMxN: return, without my
approval, Ordinance No. 306, which pro-
vidss for the levy of n special tax Of
four mills per dollar upon al the prop
eFty assessed in the special assessment
district created by Ordinance No. 2S9,
providing for the grading and improve
ment of. Union street.
The total cost of this work has been
estimated 70 aggregate twenty -Ope hum
dred and 6fty-eight dollars. The street
has been graded between the center
line Of Eighth street and q point mid
way between Third and Fourth streess,
covering q lineal distance of l. 40 fest.
Tho University grounds embrace IA fest
Of this distance, and by this improve
ment are benefited equally with other
lots embraced in this assessment dis
trict.
The ordinance herewith returned ID
based upon an assessment roll duly 70
turned by the City Assessor. and after
ward amended and approved BY the
Council.
The City Asss ,sor returned the Uni
versity grounds on tho original roll a
property subject to this tax, appraising
its value at $25.BCo, bat the Council
amended the roll by excluding there
from this item, and thus casting the en-
| tire burden OF this tax upon the re-
manning property holders In this assess
ment district. The entire valuation OF
property upon the original roll was
$7y, $50, leaving, after deducting $25 800,
being the valuation Of the University
grounds. the appraised value at the sum
Of fifty three thousand nine hundred and
fifty dollars.
II the valuation Of the University
grounds had not been expunRed from
the assessment roll, tax Of less than
three mills instead of four mills would
have sufficed ~ raise the requisite
amount.
believe that the burden thus cast
upon tho remaining private property
owners Of the district, under this Ordi-
nance, operates a. an act of injustice
upon them. II il IL true that public
property 10 exempt from local assess
ments for pablic Improvements, the city
authorizing and ordering the improve
lpent, and not few property holders,
should carry the burden, which, under
other circumstances, would fall upon
Rnt / am nv no means sati,f,ad that
tina Tjn;vcrsitv Oronnds- althon0h ia.
ionoino tn the fsrritorv ara eTamnt
from this assessment. The Act of 1879,
sssess,nent "on ali iofs and ncrcsl. orlo nj
S,~ns;.c an .,.eh .trs.rs a." ~ 'I ths
farms ~ The Act No srsmnt;on. ~. ~
loved The levs contsmpI.ssd h~ the
nrdinanca IL nct n .tsrv H. tha tschn;'
All senss Of the a, tsrm and thsrsso,s T.
not embraced by the general 0xemptiOn
clause in the revenue law Of the Terri
tory:
G W. 1917 1s.sy.:' s'ntOu
the service OF the State. Thew are sacri r.
,;@css ,nsds hv AMI hr,d.neS s " , ,,'oo.,
individuaia for the nnhiio Oood In th;e
thev difFer from locai ssssssn,arts So-
imnrovements which ara MT cors;a.r .
ed 4 buracn mar sacrifFcs Int ~ an
eouiyalent or oompensntion FOR ths an N.