Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-03
THE sTREEr.1MpRovEMENr QUESTION

a. Also, for sale on all Trains leaving and
coming into Sacramento.
THE sTREET-IMPRovEMENT QUESTION
A correspondent was accorded. much
space in the REcoRD-UNIoN on Thursday
to discuss the question of good streets and
good sewers. Some errors into which he
falls cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.
For instance, vigorous but faulty argu-
ment is made against the improvement of
the city streets in any part by the city at
large, by means of uniform taxation. 1t
is set out that good streets contribute
mainly to the benefit, first, of the business
men, and, secondly, to those who are able
to keep horses and vehicles-that while
the poor man must take pride and pleasure
in good, clean streets, they are little profit
to him, and that while well-kept streets
enhance the value of the poor mans prop
erty and his convenience, they dispropor-
tionately increase his taxes, if they are
constructed in part at general cost. The
conclusion is therefore reached that it is
unjust to assess the property of the poor
man for street improvement upon the same
basis as the property of those assumed to
be more interested in the construction of
good city highways.
The error of this argument lies in the
assumption of less interest in the streets
by the holders of small tracts of land, and
little personal property. The truth is
that the small holder is often more inter-
ested than the larger For while the owner
of lot and business will profit by the
augmented value given to his lot by street
improvement, he pays his full share by the
tax cost upon the value of the lot, and in
addition pays tax upon his business
levied for street improvement. The owner
of lot, therefore, who does not also have
business stock to be assessed, really pays
less proportionally, while he is as immedi-
ately benefited.
The conservation of the interests of the
business house results directly TO the adj
vantage of the poor man. Without any
business in the city his property, with the
finest streets imaginable about it, will
have no money value. If it is replied that
business is benefited by good roadways
equal to the tax it pays for street work,
the answer is that one or two thorough
fares leading to and connecting with the
country highways, would serve all the i'm
mediate purposes OF the business man.
The patent error Of our correspondent
lies in the recognition Of classes. The
system Of the law admits of none; the
assessment of property is made upon its
value, not upon the financial ability of the
owner, and for obvious reasons there can
be established no other rule of procedure
in the matter. But even if this were not
true, the building up of business interests,
as we have said, is of as vital interest TO
one as to another property owner in
community, and if anything, is more bene-
fetal to the poor than to the rich. The
latter can take care of themselves in any
emergency; the former must be dependent
upon general prosperity.
Our correspondent points out that the
assessment Of one-fourth the cost of street
improvement, that it is proposed shall be
general, is as great upon AS LOT as BIS of
the same size, though AS may support
cottage and BIS amansion. But the error
of our correspondent is revealed when his
statement is corrected, for il is disingeni-
Gus. The proportion Of cost the city at
large is to pay by issuance and sale of its
certificates Of credit or bonds, is not
assessed upon the frontage of property.
The frontage is a measure Of ascertain
ment, but the interest upon the bonds and
the principal are paid by taxation upon
all property, and the man who owns no
real estate, and no more than the articles
of adornment upon his person, pays his
full share. So that BIS mansion and lot
will pay much more for improvement of
the street than AS lot with the cottage.
But says our correspondent AS wages re-
main the same after the Improvement,
while BIS income from his business en-
hances.
But if our correspondent will broaden
the horizon of his view and take the
whole community into consideration he
will perceive that unless BIS income from
his business docs enhance AS wage can
not remain the same. In an individual
case it might, but lessened business means
fewer workers and fewer wage-payers and
less ability to pay on the part of the few.
Our correspondent wisely urges that an
efficient and general sewerage system
shall be adopted, and declares that this is
matter Of equal importance to ALA
truism, but unfortunately for our corre-
spondent he digs pit for the feet of his own
argument. There can be drawn no distinc-
ton between the interest Of all the people