The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-10
TIE VEXEDQUESTION.
settlement Of the System of
Grade Taxes.
The GRADED PLAN ADOPTED.
Means Suggested for the Easier ana
Cheaper Preliminary Work
Other Business.

&e34H3Eu{a On iIfG&UkHFif 4A@f~-
tots. The ordinance. as adopted, oyercornes all
Of the serious obstacles In the old one on the
sarne subject and its eject will be 10 ooviate
much LITIGATION ffat would undoubtedly occur
without the change Before final action sub
atitute prepared by Mr. Shipiey was aoop1ed Ia
place OF the committess report, Whlch en-
bodied the maia festurn tnereoi, win some
adopted, and a. IL will besupmitaeu 10 tne eonn-
oil TOT approval, is a. follows.
sxcrroS i. subdiyfsfon Whenever the pub
lie interest or convenience may REQUIRE,
Che city council Is hereby authorized
any portion Of the streets of the city
rrsded or regarded. planked or replanked. paved
S or xepaved fnacadamized or remacadamized,
g rec MD - ana 10 order sidewalks, sewers,
menhoiss culverts en,Dlng ana ren clgssI
xsss 70 e ose1 any or or ali Tep Mosa
Is s. done Whfch shalI Be necessary to complete
the whole or any portion OF inc streets, siae-
walks, lanes, alleys, squares or places, ana the
city council may ana al rsss nnon
such street, alley OF piace, or part thereof,
shall levy and collect "a assessment upon all
lots or parcels Of land Denented by such I'M
thereof which assessment shall become a lien
upon all property linble therefor.
6ubdiyision 2-The Ely council shall, by
general ordinance, proyidc the manner IN which
the Aforesaid frnprovsments may be made and
prescribe ali necdful regulations for the exer-
{ else hy the city OF The power granted and con-
ton: provided, that IN all eases in which the
opet Of such improvement is to be betrayed by
tbs collection Of special assessment upon
shs property nsnes taken she 'o NOV pro
must be presented to the board of
public works written petition setting forth the
street o. street, ssy q r aeys squares or
ture Of the Improvement, the mode OF payment
onf the fact that the s1gners are owners of prop
erfy 70 be benefited % the aggregate amount OF
fWcffthx Of the assessment TO be levied for such
improvement according to the transfer books In
the Office OF the county auditor II the board of
public works 6nd the facts set forth in said
petlfion 10 be true, they shall cause an
esfimate OF the cost of such improvement
70 be made ana transmit the petition, together
with all papers and Information in their posses
sion touching such improvement, with the esti-
mated cost thereof and their recommendation
thereon, 70 the city council. The city council
shall have full authority to consider all matters
Y relation g such proposed improvement and
cretinns provided that said city council or board
Of public works shall not have authority to
further proceed inthe matter Of such improve
menf whenever the estimated or actual cost
d any work or improvement contemplated or
ordered 10 be done by the city council and
chergesbie q lien under the provisions OF this
article against any lot or lots, parcel parcels
Of land, shall exceed one-haIf of the total as
oossed valuation OF the lots or parcels OF land
contained In such assessment district, as the
same appears upon the last annual assessment
roll made for the ievying of taxes for municipal
purposes IN which case said improvements
ohAll not be granted unless the same be so mod
tfied that the cost thereof will not exceed such
one-ha1f of the aforesaid valuation.
The actions and decisions of the city council,
- 70 all matters passed upon by them in rela-
tJon to tho rejection the granting of such petit
tton shall Be 1nal and conclusive.
Subdivision S--Said general ordinance shall.
also provide for the establishment of local i'm
pFoyement district to be called Local Improve
ment District No. =, which shall include all the
property between the terimini of said improve
ment abutting. adjacent or approximate to the
street, alley, place Or square proposed to be i'm
proved 70 . distance back from the marginal
line thereof OF 10 feet and ell property included
within sAid limits OF such local i'm provement
dl9tr1ct shall be considered and held to have
frontage upon such improvement and shall be
the property benefited by such local improve
ment, and shall be the property to be assessed
10 pay the cost thereof which cost shall be as
seesed upon oil Of said property so benefited in
proportion 70 the frontage thereof upon such
improvement. one foot OF frontage or the equ-
yalent thereof. viz 40 square feet of superficial
sreas g be taken as the unit by which TO deter
mine fne amount OF frontage for which each of
eniu tots, parcels or parts thereof, benefited
Is Aforesaid, shall be assessed as aforesaid
Said assessment district shall, for the purpose
OF said assessment, be divided into four sub
Divisions parallel to the center line of the street
q aiey proposed TO be improved, each thirty
feet In width aud beginning with the one near
est 70 the marginal line OF said street, to be
numpered respectively first, second. third and
toHrth. Each front foot or its equivalent area
N tne firss subdivision thirty fee; wide nearest
20 the street to be improved shall be assessed
sor 20 per cent. OF the total amount to be as
eessed against each front foot or its eouiya-
lents the second subdivision thirty feet wide
between thirty and sixty feet back from the
street. shall be assessed % per cent. of the total
amount 70 be assessed against each front foot or
tu equivalent; the third subdivision thirty feet
wides between sixty and ninety feet back from
the street, shall be assessed 20 per cent of the
toIai amount 10 be assessed against each front
xooI or 10 equivalent; the fourth subdivision
petMeen ninety and 10 feet back from the street,
onah % assessed for 10 per cent of the total
amount 20 De assessed against each front foot or
All assessments levied upon lands in the
United states, state of Washington, State Uni
versity, county of King. the city OF seattle. or
Any school district shall be paid by the city of
seattle ont OF its general road fund.
Mr.. shirley proposed an amendment to section
OF artiele s, providing for two methods of
making payment for local improvements
py bonds and by immediate payment
The mode OF immediate payment oyercomes the
present objections in regard to the balance re-
muning on land for local improvements in ex-
cess OF actual cost The amendment provides
that after the city council has by ordinance or
Joint resolution ordered or authorized the max
ing OF any local improvement, and not more
tnan twenty days after the contract therefor has
been let, the board OF public works shall report
70 the council an assessment roll prepared by
tse CITY engineer. Ii makes the description of
sne property the main point, and not the name
o. tue owner, thus giving enforcement OF the
zen more OF the character of an action IN rem.
~ was referred To the Judiciary committed
Inc next meeting will take place on Tuesday
night next
Alter the meeting Mr.. s. NJ Shirley explained
10 an Interview the principal points of differ.
approved.
"Thc distinctive differences" he said. "be-
tween the present system of street assessment
sha thas hnaiiy agreed upon by the charter re-
slan committee tonight are the following:
insssaa OF separate ordinance being passed
prescribing the steps to be taken for each street.
the city council IL 20 pass a general ordinance.
sppheaoie TO all street work, TO regulate the
proceedings in accordance with certain rules in
tne charter, which are that in order
secure an Improvement owners rep
resshahg two-ntths OF the property pre-
sent petition to the board OF public works.
VINO inquire into the necessity aud ascertain
she probable cost, thus relieving the street COM
mllssss OF The city council OF much vexatious
ouaef. Then, instead of requiring the delay
IN tns CITY council of passing the petition aud
yolht resolution and of two publications, as st
present, the council win simply authorize the
s"fA os ordinance, aud without waiting for an
assessment roll the contract can be let and work
peRan, saving needless waste OF time snd avoid
ihg aAnger OF neglect of officials in performing
sna'noef OF preliminary duties now required.
nut the most important changes are regard
,nk 'hs Ptsn OF assessment Mr.. Bagley and Mr..
Han proposed 70 adopt system of taxing tri-
Aasses ana odd shaped pieces of lots SO rs To
.S@Ae ,nem pay an assessment according to
sneiI area IN proportion with raat paid by rec
tsnguiar lots, and also uniform district Of TO
iees, and out OF these suggestions has grown the
pa nnaliy chosen tonight; as modified and