Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-04-08

| that portion VINO VIII nave 10 pay the same,
| will be in reality helpless so far as opposing
it is concerned. If this matter was left to
| the county alone then il would be e. tirely
different 1t is neither law, justice: nor
/ equity. If you outyote us at the polls We
| will defeat you before the Courts. The
proposition is simply monstrous. APP
| plause.
Mr. McConnell-Mr, Caples, do you think
| it is constitutional?
| Mr. Caples-No, sir; and no intelligent
jurist will ever so decide. [Applause.1
Mr.. Fassett read Section Is, page 3Q4, of
| the Statutes of 1888, showing that bonds
could not be issued except by two-thirds
vote of the electors of the county.
! Mr.. A Mull-Do you hold, Mr. FaSsett,
that the city, although not liable for, can
vote for the issue of these bonds?
Mr.. Fassett-They certainly can.
Mr.. MCCONNELL.
This proposition is premature and has
not been well considered. Good roads are
desirable; they enhance the value of prop
| erty, and facilitate business. If we are
| taxed for roads, we want to know that the
| funds are directed to the point. This mat
| ter might be worked up if the people could
! be assured that the revenue would be prop
erly applied. The city is as much inter
ested in this matter as the county; even
more so, for the entire county is a feeder of
the business of this city The county
| assessment is nearly one-half million
larger than that Of the city. \ tax Of 10
per cent on the taxable prop
erty of the county gives very good
sum for road purposes. If You
must issue bonds, 100000 is ample This,
if placed at Il per cent, creates an interest
| of 81 500 per year. Levy an annual tax of
! 500 600 would leave SO, 500; provide a
| sinking fund of $1,000, would leave you
! $10,500 to keep the roads in repair We
! know the present system is imperfect and
very unsatisfactory. Half Of the time
charged for is frittered away. In his expe-
rience he had found that the worth OF the
road depends upon the worst half mile
The capacity of a road depends upon what
can be hauled over that half mile. Twenty
miles of good road is ruined so
far as freighting over it is concerned,
by one small piece if it is bad
San Joaquin county at one time had roads
much worse than ours, but to-day all the
approaches to Stockton are macadamzed
They now can haul a ton for every horse
over their roads. He thought 100000
ample. Take the leading and most i'm
pOrtant thoroughfares in the county and
their aggregated length was less than 100
miles. Place 81 600 per mile upon those
|
payer would be pleased with the result. 1t
is highly improper to force this matter
upon the people without due con-
sideration. Give the taxpayers an
opportunity to reflect upon the matter
and let them have voice upon this very
important proposition. He hoped the
Board would discuss the matter in care
full and dispassionate manner. He be-
lieved with DR.. Caples, if the city votes
these bonds, she should pay her pro rata.
He knew that little towns in the interior of
the county were opposing this very propo-
sltion, from the fact that good roads would
divert their local trade to the capital
Mr. Rooney-Do you think that the city
should vote upon us a debt Of $4,000.
and they not be responsible for any part of
its payment?
Mr.. McConnell-No, sir. The city would
be largely benefited, and they should pay
their just proportion, which would be
nearly one-half.
Mr. Rooney-Well, that is The law. and
ii cannot be changed until the next session
OF the Legislature, and what are we going
to do about it?
Mr.. MCCONNELL shall never believe
this is the law of the land until the Su-
preme Court so decides. If the city would
come in, il would perhaps be good invest
mcnt; there is no doubt but that it would
be for the city. Take the upper Stockton
road. There is not three miles of that
road that needs repairing. Many other
! roads in the county are in the same excel
! lent condition.
SEYMOUR CARR
/ Replied at length to the remarks of Mr..
| Mcconnell as to the ConstitutiOnality of the
law. He said if the Supervisors under
| stood the law, they must know that the
! city could not become party to this con-
| tract, although they would have vote
upon it. If this is law, what Justice is
/ there in it? We have two Supervisors
( from the county representing two districts,
| while the city has three, representing three
| districts. The city has a majority both in
| the Board and at the polls. He came
before the Board to represent the
taxpayers Of his section, and brought
with him petitions signed by every one
who was approached upon the subject, and
one and all were unalterablv opposed to
! the proposed action of the Board They
| don't want it. 1t is not right, just nor
proper, and why should they not be
against it? Look at your tax receipts and
| you will see 10 cents on every 500 for
| sinking and interest fund to pay bondhold-
ers. Three hundred thousand dollars of
! that Indebtedness was sold for 80 cents on
!
| farmer. He wants no more bonds
| [Cheers.l Levy the road tax in accordance
with the statutes put the money in the
road fund, build and repair roads with it,
| bat don't bond us any more. We won't
have it, and we will work and vote
against it.
WM. JOHNSTON
Said some portions of the county had good
! roads, ard others were sadly in need of
| them. He spoke OF the amount of money
! that had been spent on the Brighton road
American river road and Others, the pur-
chase of bridges, etc, and said in that re-
spcct his portion of the county had been
sadly neglected. lie said he had never
asked for bonds, but hoped the Board
would levy forty cents on the 500 and
! give them some good roads and bridges so
| that he and his neighbors could get to the
! city He said the ffteen-cent levy is in
adequate, and our roads at present were
disgrace to the county
| EDWARD CHRIsTY
| Said he represented Folsom and vicinity.
and at their request he appeared before the
Board to state their wishes. He could as
sure the Board that every taxpayer in his
| section was opposed to issuance of
any more bonds. We have bonded
| Indebtedness now of S6SS, 800. with an
annual interest accruing OF $4,000. Is
not that sufficiency of that kind of
pie? We are assured, and we know
ourselves, because it is the law, that Sacra-
mento city would be in no wise responsible
for one cent of this incurred debt The
city keeps its streets up, and it would be
double taxation to impose this tax upon
| them. In the section of the county he
came from the roads were all good and
properly cared for. On the 18th day of
next month the franchise OF the American
river bridge expires and it reverts to the
! county, and it is a well-known fact that il
| is III iumble-down condition. 1t will be
proper, then to levy tax to rebuild it.
| The law governing the road districts
gives you all the power you want Is
it right that the poor lands of his
people who live near Folsom, and
who have good roads, should be taxed
to build roads for those sections of the
county where the lands are rich, the farm
ers wealthy, but their highways poor. He
advised the Board not to burden real estate
with taxation He said the property of
| Sacramento city would be worth twice as
much to-day were it not for its bonded in
! debredness.
Messrs. Hancock, Stigney, Lindley,
| Plummer Gerber, Taylor and Simms each
made speeches which were pointed and in
| teresting but space will not allow a svnop-