The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-01
so THE CITIZENS BELIEVE.
CHARTER COMMISSION LISTENS TO
AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION
ONsTHE SUBJECT.
oFlPAY1NG ASSESSMENTS.
Sentiment as Expressed by the PeO-
pie Last Night FavOrs Payment
ON InstaIlment.

| at the council chamber last evening. A
| dozen of the members Of the commits
| sion were present and about forty citf-
! zens. Among the more prominent were
| Mayor Doran, Comptroller McCardy,
| City Treasurer Horst, Commissioner
| Hare, H. M. Smythe, George Benz, Con-
rad w. Miller, N. P. Langford, E. j.
Hodgson, MoritZ Helm, j. A. Wheelock
| and J. H. Wolterstorff.
President Horn stated the matter to
| be discussed was in relation to special
assessments and the board of public
works. The commission was DESTROYS
| of hearing from the citizens as to
whether there should be any radical
| change made in the board, and another
| important question was as to the pay
ment of assessments on the installment
| plan at a low rate Of interest, which
had been advocated. There had also
| been some talk as to whether the as
| sessments for sidewalks and pavements
used by the public should be paid for
| by the property owners or the general
| public. The commission desired to hear
| the matter discussed, and, as the meet
| ing was an informal one, all present
were invited to state their views.
H. NJ. Smythe said the chief objec-
ton against the present system OF as
sessment was the manner In which they
were collected. The interest on delayed
payments was II per cent and amount
ed to confscation of the property
In 1889 the owners in the vicinity
where he lived paid $500 for paving.
Now they were called on to pay $4,000
for asphalt In Omaha, Toronto and
other cities the assessments were
spread over a series of years. In To-
ronto the assessment was made on the
life of the improvement and bonds Is
sued drawing or 4 per cent. This
plan was also being inaugurated in the
suburbs of Chicago.
Mr.. Mckinley thought, if the assess
ments could be spread over term Of
years, 1t would result in more improve
ments being made. He most decidedly
favored the installment plan.
Meylert Bruner said he represented
Seventh street property, and, II the
improvements contemplated were put
through, the owners could not pay the
assessments 1t took all the revenue
from improved property to pay taxes
and if assessments were levied, the
property would have to be taken for
the assessment He knew of instances
where sales of property fell through for
fear that assessments would be levied
which could not be met.
George Benz inquired if the plan
proposed went through and a sale of
property was made, would the assess
n1ent have to bS. paid in full before the
warranty deed was passed. He Indoors
nj president n Orn
thought under +he present law the as
sessment in a case of this kind would
have to be paid in full.
Conrad w. Miller said under the
present system the taxes must be paid
but the assessments need not before
q deed was transferred. He was not
in favor Of the five-year plan as 1t
would force owners to pay installments
each year. Now it was that persons
could let the assessment run for
five years. He suggested that the only
thing needed was to have the rate OF
interest reduced to or per cent.
Mr. Dean questioned if the city could
not sell the delinquent assessments at
y per cent, how it would posi-
BILE to find a sale for them when they
drew 7 per cent. His idea was to
issue bonds on Improvements. In New
York bonds were issued at 21s
to per cent. At the end of
five years if the assessment was not
York and Milwaukee, Mr.. Miller said,
the property owners paid only one as
sessment for paving. After that the
repairs or repairing was paid from the
general fund.
Mr. Murray said the board Of equali-
zation last year assessed the holders
of delinquent assessments the same as
tho property For this reason he was
confident that the sale of delinquent
assessment certificates, even at Y
per cent. would not be large in the
future. Capitalists and bankers would
under the circumstance not purchase
the certificates.
Theodore Sander was Of the belief
that the real cause Of the
non sale Of the delinquent assess
ment certificates was that there was
no stipulated time for which they run;
The great fault was the uncertainty
of the term for which the certificates
ran. Some change should be made IN
the law in this regard. He was IN
favor of the installment plan at
lower rate of interest. If this could be
done the improvements in the city
would increase 100 per cent in the next
two years. Reckless improvements ndu
been made in the city, and in numer-
Gus cases after the Improvement had
been made the property was not worth
the face of the certificates issued
against 1t. g.
s O. Merrill, one of a committee from
the Iglehart Improvement association,
Informed the commission that a plan or
paving assessments on the installment
plan at a long rate of interest had been
il. dorsed by the association.
Mr.. Murray said the question OF
where the money to pay for the i'm
provement was to come from should be
considered in connection with the IN
stallment plan.
7 G. Bean thought certificates issued
against. property within a limit OF two
miles from the center of the city and
not assessed, would find ready market
at or per cent.
G. r. Smith questioned whether I'M
der the new plan the bonded indebted
ness OF the city would not be increased.
This. he thought, would be a bad policy.
The best advertisement st. Paul had
was when it reduced it's Indebtedness
from $4,000, 600 to $8,000,000. The plan
of making the city Responsible TOT the
certificates amounting to 100000 for
next year, would be serious blow to
the CITY. Mr. Dean said the primary
purpose of the meeting was to hear
those who constantly objected to the
manner Of making Improvements and
assessments by the board of public
works. If any of the citizens had
better plan toEadvance, the commission
would be glad to hear from them.
President Horn said there had been
some criticism as to the expense of the
board of public works. 1t had been sug-
gested that the salary of the president
should not be as large as it was at
present, and the other members should
serve at nominal salary like the MEM
bers Of the council. He was not ex-