The record-union., 1893-09-19
Good Roads.

EDS hECORD-ONION 1ue otdlS AeOoo
Convention recently held in Sacramento
decided by resolution that better country
roads were needed in California. Also,
that the trunk line county roads should
be maintained at the general expense OF
the county, but did not decide as to how
the necessary funds should be raised,
viz: direct tax or by the issuance OF
bonds, but referred the matter to the EX-
ecutive Committee appointed by the con-
Vention for their consideration.
Taking Sacramento County as an eX-
ample, the road tax for the road fund IS
twenty cents on the 800; the total assessed
value of property in the county outside
of the city is in round numbers Sic, 600, 600;
ct twenty cents is $4,000, which is the
amount the farmers of this county have
paid into the road fund each year for the
past ten years, which equals the enormous
sum of $3.50, 600 expended on the roads Of
our county, exclusive of bridges, and but
very little to show for it except recelpted
bills.
There are about 150 miles of main or
trunk line roads in this county, and If
macadamized at one time, at S2,OOO per
mile, would cost $500, 600, nearly equalng
the amount expended in patchwork on
the roads of this county during the past
ten years. But how shall we raise the
necessary $500, 900 to do the work at once,
by direct tax Or issuance of bonds?
The State Road Convention decided un-
animously that the main roads should be
maintained at the general expense of the
county, on the principle that the better
the roads in the county the greater gains
10 the city.
The total assessed value of the county,
including the city, is about $4,000, 600,
which, sat So cents on the SlO0, would
raise the $500, 900 needed to build loo miles
of main or trunk line roads in the county.
But in order TO raise the funds at once it
will be necessary to increase the present
road tax over four times greater than 1t is
now. On every hand we hear our people
say that it is all they can possibly do to
pay their taxes as they now exist, and
there is no doubt in my mind that the
people will fight to the bitter end any in
crease in taxation; the direct system OF
taxation is therefore out of the question.
The bond system which is opposed by
those who have not examined 1t care
fully would operate about as follows:
Issue twenty-year bonds say for $4,000
with interest at per cent per annun.
100000 at per 600
100000 at 3 per cent. tor an annual
sinking fund for redeeIning the
bonds at end Of twenty years............ $4,000
Cost of keeping 80 miles OF ma
cadamiZed road in repair at SO
per mile per annum .............. 1900
Total cost per s81 500
Under the above system you would
have hard, smooth roads throughout the
year, and the road tax rate would be
little less than one mill on the dollar,
while under the present system, the dirt
roads are costing two mills on the dollar.
The bond system thus shows saving to
our granger friends of one-half of the
present system.
The question has been asked, How
would you issue the bonds? Under our
present custom we would issue three
hundred one-thOusand-dOllar bonds at D
per cent. per annum, to be redeemed at
the end of twenty years. The above will
meet the approval of the capitalist.
1 would issue twenty-year call bonds,
drawing interest at the rate of . per cent.
per annum, the bonds to be issued in
sums OF $50 each when desired. / would
Go this IN order that the bonds might be
taken by our own citizens, or any man or
woman who had saved up their earnings
could make good, safe investment in
these bonds, and should they find it nec-
eSsary at any time, their bond being a
small one, could always be cashed or
would be received in payment Of bills;
in fact, we would find these small bonds
passing from one to another in exchange
for commodities of various kinds. AS a
security they would be as good as any
bill issued by the Government of the
United States.
would make them call bonds, so that
the annual income of $4,000, which be-
longs to the sinking fund, could be paid
out for them and stop the interest, thus
lowering the tax ratio.
w, D, IAWTON,