Telegram-herald., 1890-05-28
A GOOD AMENDMENT
That Might. and Even Nay Be
Recommended
lLDEaXly IlIEUTSPlYHC SCHEME
hss ths City Caa GagFoss ia streets
Withaat DtstrsssiaS Ihs ProPsstT
ss@s-AlsieFm4a fsEs&'s
Positions

Alderman Tateum . one OF those
who seEs appointed BY the mayor Mon
day evening ~ act as COMMITTEES On
charter amendments. A IELEGRAE-
hznALD reporter called upon the gen
Leman - make inquiries.
Alderman. has your committee any
amendments - the charter - propose
~ tne near fltureF' asked the reporter.
''Our committee mas not been IN eX-
latence long enough % DO anything
yet, replied Mr Iateum.
What 10 you think ot the spreading
Of taxes for grading and other public
improvements over q period * years,
that has been Ilated ~ some extent
III thlnk 10 &. a step Ia the right dlrec-
ton. and ( believe tlaL some such ar
rangemelG would he Ot benefit % the
CITY
what DO you think of the paving
being pad 0uJ 0I a general fund or BY
issuing city bonds''
aMy opinion Is t0at the whole city
has che use or the streets that are I'M
proved che citv az large should not pay
tle entire cost Of she improvement
The adjacent property is ALWAYS en-
hanced u valued Dy public improve
melis. and tne owners should be- AZ
ses-ed 20 proportion a. they are bene-
hlted.
"a would favor an arrangement Ike
tns lo hasten tie street improvements
ID ths city. and bring them up 50
that theY VIII be .n keeping with
their surround ugs. When a
street. IS % be paved let the
B0art OF Public Works make
aa estimate OF tne probable cost and
then let 90 per cent OF 10 De assessed
against Che owners OK adlaceut property
and make the tax payable ln. say three
annual nsta.lments with interest, and
let che city issue paving bonds for the
remaining 40 per cent or the cost. THIS
arrangement would distribute the tax
over rer0d OF years and the improve
ments could De made without burden
ing the people"
Alderman NereX was seen shortly
after. lie ia not a member OF the conf
mttce ON charter amendments but he
- thoroughly interested IN public I'M
pr0vements and particularly in lmprOv-
Ing the condition OF the strsets.
SAID he, II am decidedly IN favor Of
amending the charter so that the tax
for pubic improvements could be
spread over a period OF years. / favor
this not only because 10 VIII make the
taxes easier for the people, but because
the people realizing that the cost IS 10
be distributed. VIII say, This IS not
gong 20 DC hard on IA, ana the best
aud most durable pavement is the
cheapest, therefore, give us the best
As the matter now stands the people
count the cost, taxes are heavy, and
80 they say, we would ike something
better bur We can't afford 70. We are
obliged 90 take something cheap"
The cityisnow iu an unfortunate pre-
dicamcnt n regard % is streets they
are n disgrace 60 a city Of tins size. bat
the tax comes in lump, and % ls mr.
possible 20 geJ q majority Of the resi-
dents on any street 10 sign 4 petition
for FIRST class pavement. Grand Rapids
cannot get % the frCnt as she should
unless thisimp mpOrtsntmattcr Is looked 70,
and under the existing regulations the
only hope OF securing any good
ard permanent street improvements
for the Common Council
t0 take the matter n hand and compel
t1esc improvements on streets that are
badly In need of them and where tine
property owners are perfectly able %
stand the cost That has been and
still Is my position n the matter"
II believe that che city should pay
the cost OF paving all the street cross
ings and that the adjacent property
owners should not De taxed for them.