Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-11
NEW STREET LAW.
SOME IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED
ON THE vROoMAN ACT.
Synopsis OF Some Legislation Asked fer
by the City Council-Several Good
/. Points Suggested to Facilitate I'm
proving Streets.

| be forwarded to Hon. John r. Mathews
today, amending the present street law
called the Vrooman act, in numebel
of particulars, the most important o.
which is the amendment which has fol
some time past been agitated by Major
BOnsall, president of the council, con.
sisting of provisions allowing the issu.
ance Of bonds for the payment of street
improvements.
The system of issuing these bonds is
briefly as follows: After passing the
ordinary resolution OF intention to make
the Improvement contemplated on any
street or portion OF street, which reso-
luton contains description of the
bonds proposed to be issued, the coun-
Gil advertises for bids, specifying in the
advertisement that the proposed i'm
provement is to be paid for by the
issuance OF bonds, and describing the
bonds. BY advertising in this
manner the contractor bidding for the
work is fully apprised of the terms and
conditions of payment. The work is
then proceeded with and done to the
satisfaction OF the street superintendent,
as other street work is now done, who
after accepting said work, issues and de-
livers to the city council an assessment
roll showing the amount Of work done,
the total cost thereof, and the amount
assessed against each lot, or portion of a
lot, benefited by said improvement. He
also attaches to this assessment roll a
diagram showing the proposed improve
ment, and each lot or piece of property
benefited and affected thereby. After
the delivery of this assessment roll and
diagram to the city council, thirty days
are allowed within which property own
ers, feeling aggrieved by any act of the
street superintendent. may appeal to the
city council from his decision, which
council has the right to remedy or cor
rect any error committed in the proceed
ing or in the acceptance of the work.
At the expiration of the thirty
days and after all appeals shall have
been acted upon the city council will is
sue bonds. extending over a period not
to exceed twelve years, and drawing in
terest at rate not to exceed seven per
cent, payable semi-annually, which
bonds will be designated as the --
Street improvement bonds, and will be
OF the nature known as serials; an equal
part thereof, together with the interest
ON the full amount unpaid, to be paid off
each year during the period of time over
which said bonds extend. These bonds
will be sold to the highest bidder, as
other bonds of the city are sold, and not
less than par. After the sale of the
bonds and the payment of the proceeds
for the cost CT the work Improvement,
the city council will certify the ASSESS
ment roll for said improvement to
the city assessor, who will place
upon the municipal tax roll each
year, special tax upon each piece of
properly upon said assessment roll,
equal to its annual proportion of the
sum falling due upon said bonds for
that year.
The object of this law is to enable
property owners abutting upon the more
expensive improvements, such as paw
ing, sewering and the making of heavy
cuts or fills through the hilly sections
of'the city, to pay for these improve
ments gradually, instead of being
obliged to pay the whole cost OF large
street assessment at one time. The
payments to meet these bonds are made
annually in the same manner and at
the same time that municipal taxes are
collected, and very expensive and sub
stantial improvement may be made
upon the property by means Of this law,
practically, without the owner feeling
the cost OF the same.
The bill, which is entitled can act to
provide for work upon streets, lanes.
alleys, courts, places, sidewalks, and
for the construction of sewers within
municipalities" is voluminous docu-
ment of some forty-one pages of closely
typewriter manuscript. It was drawn
up by Messrs. w. E. Dunn and AL
Crutcher, the able deputies of the city
attorney, and reflects great credit upon
both of those young lawyers.