The Portland daily press., 1898-02-08
EEERING NEXATION.
To the Editor Of the Press:

Allow me to preface with a confessi on
to Gam IT," whose lengthy communi-
cation appeared in the PRESS on Febru.
airy Bird, that the cause of annexation has,
indeed, "High Priests and Soribes'
whose avowed purpose it is to "declalm to
the public" and to "shout," If need be,
the truth and the facts relating to the
cause; to keep sin the spirit OF the
times" to work for Progress and Pros
perity;" to keep the "red light and the
white. sufficiently bright, that all may
know the truth, and where 1t may Dc
found; and "to advertise by popular
fads' and otherwise, until all shall know
that Annsxationists are proud. and not
ashamed of their cause; and that IL may
not be said ofsthem that "they. loved oarK
ness rather than light because their DEEDS
were evil.
They have no use for secret methods ana
closed doors: no occasion to Exclude re-
porters, misrepresent their strength, IN
fate valuations, exercise petty spite, or
indulge in personal abuse Nor DO tne
annexationists find it necessary to ols-
credit the bindings of the Annexation
Commission. to discredit the statements
of the two city treasurers made before une
commission, or to propose hiring an ex-
pert accountant to review their state
rnents. The annexationists are not hard
enough pressed to resort to such expedl-
ents if, perchance, they were SO disposed.
But my purpose is to consider, not the
past, but the future, particularly the
proba bilities about behring's tax rate,
hereafter. 1t was SIT this year. Early
last spring Deering issued $40, 900 OF
Der cent bonds to fund the city's third of
sewer debt; later $15, 600 towards widen
ing Forest avenue; at the last meeting
16, 600 towards the new high school; will
soon issue about $34, 900 more to pay the
balance of the cost OF. the school building;
and about SEQ, 600 more to finish Forest
avenue This makes total Of $105, OOC
bonds in the near future. Add 10. 700
the city's third of cost of sewers built this
year. which win probably be bonded.
We, here, have already planned for Sill,
666 bonds at per cent, in addition to oul
| last reported debt, with interest amo unit
| ing to 81, 466 annually. This interest OF
itself will raise our tax rate one dollar.
| But what about the coming year? W.
cannot we'll reduce current expenses, FOL
this present year, besides what was ralsee
with the rate at $17, Deering has expend
ed S1O88, overlap Of '95 and go taxes
$45OO borrowed on notes; the street ap
preparation was on January 26th over
drawn by about $3.50, and tho fire depart
ment appropriation by somewhat largel
amount. The last three. items amounting
to Sc 600, at least, 1t Is said, will be pax
out Of l89Staxes. Add for the COMING
terest on bonds mentioned above, that If
about $4,000. Add about $1,000 on new
water contract, about S1100 for fifty new
street lights placed this year, about $6O
additional for new city quarters, and W
reach the sum of 81 900, an amount sum
Gent to raise our tax rate from SIT t.
$3.50.
Then come the several claims for dam
ages for change of grade, etc. now pend
ing, amounting to from $500 to $4,000
Se225 bonds, due June, 1898; the addition
al expense of running the new higf
school, and another grammar school II
the old building, calling for at least tw'
men in addition to the old number. Thel
there are petitions for new brick side
walks. calling to mind that even Fores
i avenue, as yet. has none. Then, too
there are "Antis'' who propose to buy
steam fire engine, and maintain it. sure
,ly behring's tax rate is to be a kite VIII
La long string, iii we do not annex to Fort
land; and the farmers are. forsooth, TO o
the tail, annexed to the kite, II not t
Portland. My friends on the farms, d
YOU prefer to be tail to Woodfords, rath
; er than to the greater Portland9 a tail +
81, SOC, 900 valuation upon which to asses
taxes forscity improvements. or tall Z
S45, OO0, 0OOp 1t makes just this difference
that raising given amount by taxatio
means, in the first case, an increase Q
: one dollar in your tax rate; in the latte
case, ten cents. Your taxes will go W
whether you annex or not. The rate
too low in Deering to stand the spressurt
] But what are the tendencies? Portland
rate must be less than now. Deer1ng
rate must be more than low. Portlan
has advantages to offer, for which she ha
already paid. Deering has very little I
Q offer, everything to gain. Annexatio
l is sure to come, and now is the faVorapl
= time.
I would not be construed as criticlzlns
S by what have said, any action taken 0
q Deering in the way of spending none
;. for improvements. They were necessary
and much more will soon be necessary
which is the great reason for annexatloI
We presume that our friend " Ann =;
will not deny that Portland has acGuaH
reduced her net debt. by taxation an
otherwise, 81, 700, 600 during the ten veal
next preceding the date of her last a, an
2 nual report; or that she has already Pal
| about SIS, 900 upon her debt this year, !.
s stated by her city treasurer. He vi
hardly deny that, instead OF thus reducln
her net debt, she might have spent Tn
sum for current expenses, thereby aiioV
. ing her net debt to remain as it was &c
years ago. He cannot deny that portland
average tax rate for these ten years WI
less than $40; nor that behring's ".
sls IS for the same years. He surely WI ~
|. not deny that, if Portland had ava1le
;. herself of this opportunity, she migl
have maintained an average tax rate ie
}. than behring's. He will not deny TIM
. Portland can, if SO disposed, raise lmm
distely Sl,a4s, 600 without taxation
simply by selling her railroad and g
stocks. Surely not distressing clrcun
stances, nor "perplexing" problem
finances.
- Nor will be deny that Deering. meal
'V time, has doubled her debt; for, in n
n first article, he admits present debt
:. over $l5l 900 including only about Sll, "