The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-10
Park Improvement Assessments.

TO the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal
In view Of the pernicious, unjust system
which we have adopted for the payment of
our public Improvements, which saddles the
expense for same on the property owners
adjacent only, the contemplated assessment
for park improvements, on the same plan,
considering the stringency of the times,
comes douby hard, and the opposition
manifested in many parts of our city is but
an expression of the general discomfort en-
gendered by the constant strain to which
the property owner is put in order to meet
the eXactions of inconsiderate city officials
For many years it has been a positive loss
in our city to own rental property, ewing
to the continued drain made on same for
the payment of improvements of every con-
ceivable character, many of them entirely
useless and uncalled for. made in the in
terest of designing contractors only. The
small real estate transactions of recent
years is the best evidence that it does not
pay to own real estate, a condition at once
unnatural and unhealthy. Every property
owner will verify the statement made that
the public improvements are being made
with undue haste, with no regard to the
ability of the community to pay, and also
without regard to demand for these i'm
sessments have become positively BURDEN
some. and that it has come TO sine when
halt must be called. 1t is well enough
to make provision for the purchase Cf the
ground for park purposes. for which the
funds have been obtained but the time is
certainly inopportune for making an as
.sessment for their Improvement In con-
nection herewith 1 desire to make the as
sertion that our whole system of paying
for public Improvements is wasteful in the
extreme and essentially unjust and the
sooner it is changed so as to distribute this
burden more equally, the better it will be
for our community.
The matter of paying for park improve
ments should be considered IN the nature
of a public benefit, and consequently be
purpose and not b. individual property
owners, simply because they live within q
certain distance from these parks regard
less of the fact that they viii POSSIBLY
never visit them. having a home park of
their own. It is, to say the least. very mex
pedient, under present conditions. 10 at
tempt to squeeze the sum of $500 900 from
an already overtaxed community for a pur-
pose which we can well afford to defer to
some future time, when we will re better
able to take 1t up, and | trust the parties
in power will have sufficient aIscrnl ination
To be able 10 read the handwriting on the
wall. which certainly leaves little doubt
as to its meaning The patience of the
property owner who has been imposed Upon
right along is about exhausted and for
bearance ceases to be virtue No one
who has the interest of the city at heart
objects to improvements but they should
be made with regard to our ability to meet
them and also with consideration for the
demand for same. Rents IN the city. partic-
ularly for residence property, are made
QuatC to meet the constant drain made for
public improvements. particularly cuusider-
ing the lax methods employed in overseeing
them which in many cases requires renew
ing after a few years, leaving the matter
Of permanent improvements a matter of
much speculation In view of all of the
facts stated IN connection with the con-
templated improvements, l trust the au-
thorities will we'll consider their action re-
garding the assessments to be made for the
property owner is up in arms and believes
he has some rights in the community which
should receive consideration.
OTTO STECHHAN
Indianapolis, June ..