Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-07-08
THE BOND ELECTION.
AN ADDRESS TO THE VOTERS OF SAC.
RAMENT0 CITY.
Copsideration-whyT They Should
Vote Yes,

The Citizens Committee appointed to
prepare an address to the voters of the city
on the importance of the special election
to be held tomorrow to determine the
question of issuing 100000 in bonds to
aid in the Improvement of streets, has
adopted the following:
To the Voters Of Sacramento: A special election
has been called by the Board of City Trustees TO
| decide by ballot whether the city shall here
| after pay portion of the cost for permanent
| street Improvements. This is strongly urged,
has always been followed in this city, with ex-
ception of the last five years, and to facilitate
the necessary work of improvement and
tighten expenses to those less able to pay. The
results of the approaching election are of the
| very highest importance to every voter, and
| for the welfare of the city. If the people de-
eide wisely by their votes. It is confidently be,
| lleved that an era of rapid development and
| general prosperity for Sacramento is immedi-
ately before us. The improvement of our
streets is
| TEE FIRST NECESSARY STEP
To any advancement in building up the mate
nal interests of the city. Every voter knows
| that the condition of our streets last winter
virtually paralyzed every line of trade and
| nearly closed every avenue of employment. The
| absence of good streets cost the property OWL
| ers, last winter alone, tenfold more than the
entire taxes that would have made the streets
what they should be. and saved the city from
untold loss and disgrace. We desire to attract
and bring to us outside capital and population
| but the condition of our streets great portion
of the year repel and disgust every visitor. Sac
| ramento cannot afford to remain under such re-
proach. and whatever course can be taken to
secure the necessary change will best promote
| the interests of every resident and the building
OF the city. Until the passage of the Vrooman
| street law in 1885, the city had always paid for
| Improvement of all street intersections, or
about
| oNE-FoURTH OF THE ENTIRE cosr
| OF each street improved. This was done upon
| the very lust ground that no property owners
| lots fronted upon the intersections, and that
any costs concerning them, therefore, properly
belonged to the city. Hence, until the passage
| OF the above named Act, all property owners
paid for simply the portion of street improve
| ment directly fronting their lots. This was
changed by the Vrooman Act. and the entire
cost OF street improvements including the inter
sections, have, since 1885, been paid by the ad-
jacent owners. the cost being divided between
| the owners of the four quarter blocks cornering
| this law, passed in 1882 the City Trustees are
again empowered to pay such part of the cost
Tor street improvements as they may determine.
| 1t is, therefore, proposed, for reasons above
stated, to
| RETURN TO THE FORMER METHOD
| And have the city hereafter pay for one fourth
OF all permanent street work as in former years.
To do this, as the city has no present funds for
! this purpose, numerous citizens petitioned the
City Trustees to submit to vote of the people
proposition to issue 500 600 in bonds payable in
| twenty years, at low rate of interest, the pro-
ceeds to be devoted exclusively to paying ones
| fourth of the cost of all permanent street i'm
provements. The Trustees acceded this petition
and have called an election, to be held on July
| 9Th, for the purpose of voting upon the propo-
| sition to issue said bonds. II two-thirds of the
votes cast at this election in favor of issuing
the bonds, then the city will hereafter pay one
fourth OF the COST of all permanent street work.
The Trustees have also provided, by resolu-
ton adopted last Monday, that if the proposed
bonds are authorized, one fourth of the costs of
| all such street work done after January l, 1890
\ (since which time this proposition has been
under consideration), shall be paid for out OF
\ this fund.
| REMOVE THE REPRoAcH
The matter is therefore now before the peo-
pie to be decided by them, and it is earnestly
hoped that the decision will be for improve
ment, so that the reproach which rests upon the
reputation OF our city, caused by the disgrace
ful condition OF our streets, may be speedily re-
moved If the people vote to have the streets
| improved. not to exceed, say $50 900 of the fund
could be expended this year. but with this
$4,000 expended by the city the property-own-
ers on streets thus improved would pay 500, 0O0
| making, approximately, Sl2O, 900 in all If that
| amount is paid out in Sacramento this summer
| and fall for street work, most of which would
be for labor and team work, it is believed that
1t Will create degree of activity in every line
| BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY,
| Such as has not been enjoyed here since early
| times. and will be the ooening of an era of i'm
proyements in all directions, and of general ad-
vancement, which will be benefcially felt by
| every resident of the city. In this manner we
would secure the grading and gravelipg of
| large number OF streets the present season and
nave sufhcient funds remaining for one or two
years more, of still larger disbursements thus
| affording and creating ample employment for
| al Dur laboring classes and establishing an
| improved condition of the city which will
INVITE PEOPLE AND INVESTMENT
| If objection is made to this plan for improv-
ing our streets, upon the ground that it will in
crease taxation, let us see how much our axes
would be increased, or IT, in fact, they viii not
be decreased, by adopting this plan. Under the
| present State law the interest upon a debt thus
| incurred has to be paid each year, and one
| twentieth OF the principal, or bonds. Now as
| these bonds would only be issued by the city as
of street work. not to exceed $50 600 would be
| required or issued this year.
oNE-TwENTIETH
OF so 900 is $500, which is the amount of the
| principal we would have to pay next year and
| per cent. interest upon the $4,000 would be
| 81 500 more, making a total cost, or additional
tax OF - 600. This. with Sl5000 co., as the total
| assessed value OF property in the city, would be
only 20 cents additional on a house and lot as
sessed at 81 900, and 20 cents each 81 COO a5-
ditional assessment. The amount of additional
| tax. therefore, that would be caused by the
| issue and pay ment of these bonds, even after
| work, would be so extremely small that no one
| would be able to realize the difference from
what they are at present paying On the other
hand there is not property-owner in the city
who would not be benefited a hundred fold
more by the improvements TO be thus made
| than the very small tax would cost him
A MoNEY-sAvING SCHEME.
But there is another side to this question of
"cost to the taxpayer" which has not been
presented, and which cannot fail to convince
everyone that nil not increase the rate of tar
alton one dollar, but tUiU the city in tores from
$1,000 to $4,000 per year. There was levied for
paid as taxes $3.50 for street repairs. The
amount paid out for street repairs in 1889 was
over $4,000, and LOCO in 1888. The average
for these three years is nearly 500 Now, II
the people vote to expend the $1,000 for grad
ing and grsveling our streets, the highest
amount 1t can ever cost the city in any one year
to pay the interest. and one-twentieth of the
principal, as required, would be about $1,000
and this would be greatly diminished each
| succeeding year.
With the 100000 that would be thus paid by
the city for street work, $500 600 would be added
by property-owners fronting upon the streets
improved, and when $500, 600 had been thus ex.
pended in thoroughly improving the streets OF
| the city, we would have
EXCELLENT THoRoUGHFARFs AND DRIvEwAYs
Throughout the year, and it would not cost
| thereafter to keep them So to exceed one-teRu
OF the amount that it now does 70 maintain
them in their present condition, which is poor
In summer ana absolutely disgraceful in win
ter. An annual expenditure, therefore, of say
5000. for repairs. would be ample to keep
: | them In a hundred-fold better condition than
now. II, therefore, we add the 5000 for re-
pairs of the grayeled streets to the highes price
that our taxes could be in any one year, on &C
count of the bonds, we would have only about
$4,000 or SIS 900 less than the cost of street re-
pairs the present year. This aoould be Saving o.
5000 This year to the taxpayers and a Saving
during the past tloo years of about IS 600 per year
Is 1t not true, thep that our taxes will be aoso
lutey toirer, after having expended the 500, OOC
In graveiing our streets and putting them In
prime condition, as proposed, than to continue
as we have been doing, in paving nearly S23 OO(
per year in merely patching up our mud streets
There is but one conclusion or answer that car
be given to this proposition, and that is thai
our tdres iriR be absolutely tosoer by voting the
bonds and making the proposed improvements
EVERY PRoPERTY-owNER
And every voter in Sacramento is therefore
personally interested in the success of the cleo
ton on Wednesday, and we appeal TO each ant
every citizen entitled 10 a voice in this matte
to not only go to the polls and vote for stree
| Improvement, but to devote the day TO thu
cause of the city, in seeing that all others d.
the same. CITIZENS COMMITTEE
Sacramento. July y 1890.
COLUMBIA LEAGUE.