Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-12
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MONEY cAch-.s,scfisT

years taxes s mills instead ~ I. The
committees recommendation was
needed Improvement. the city could ar
ford II for the reason II had now come
10 that stage when Il would have to.
Councilman Dlchi said that having
been connected with the watcfworks
for many years past, he was In a pu-
sltion to know that the people In the
eastern part of the city had always
suffered on account Of lack Of water.
rhc whole system In that portion ~ the
city was out 81 gear. and four-inch
pipe was not large enough to carry the
water. n know very we'll" went on
Mr.. Dlehl. that the chairman 81 the
finance committee tNr. Wnilnccb feels
the condition Of the treasury MT the
should never lose rlrht N the fact that
the citizens Of Salt Lake pay the city
fs0.c00 every year for water. They pay
10000 for Hight and We cndcnvor 10
furnish them with II. We charge them
for water ana fail TO supply them with
H. II II my belief that we should re-
tain each year 10000 Of the money
paid In water rates and put into i'm
proving our water system. sincere
" hope the report OF the committee will
be adopted and that by next June the
people viii have no further complaints
90 make"
Councilman alddoway claimed that
city paid their taxes aH promptly and
M regularly as the people In other
parts OF the city did. md he thought
they would be willing to pay an In
crease In taxes providing they can net
water. I'VE think" he continued. ~
thcrc II plenty ~ water and running
10 waste. that II n nothing but Justice
that We got what water i absolutely
necessary for use. The poor Taxpayers
live In the eastern part 81 the city. hut
they always pay their taxes without
murmur.
President barnes said he was always
In for needed public improvements. To
carry out the recommendations Of the
committee meant the raising of the pco-
pies taxes. aud hr believed the people
would consent To II when u was shown
them they were going a. get nm addi-
tionni water Supply,
Councilman Romney saw the neccaal-
~ for the contemplated improvements
NJ much NJ any member did. but with
him the stumbling block was the state
of the citya finances. Councilman
Wallace. he said had not stated all
tho expenses which would soon have to
be met by the city. Two years ago
the sum Of $4,000 was paid out Co take
care Of the hiRh water, People may
not object 10 pay an Increase of taxes
II was true the poor people dld pay
their taxes literally and without n
murmur ~ complaint. but" contln.
ucd Mr.. Romncy. I'VE do not want TO
drive people out " the city by raising
the taxes. I want TO see the city
grow, and I know raising taxes IN not
conducive TO making the city grow.
II takes one-thlrd u the rents aocru-
ing from property on East Temple
street To nay the taxes alone This
II too hiRh. In New York they only
pay 20 cents on the dollar In taxes. 4
great deal 81 the property In the city
II not worth more than n n assessed Mt.
IN fact. | know mon who would be will
ing 10 sell their property for what II
IL assessed for. Remember what I
say. the city win not grow while We
keep raising the taxes"
Councilman i,obcrtaon said that
while our taxes may be high they ARE
not ~ high aH the average city OF the
United States" Salt Lake was larger
In AREA than most cities with the same
/ population. Il had bigger ANA wider
streets and more trees to care Tor.
our taxes last year" continued Mr..
Robertson were seven mills On the
dollar, and what did We give the people
FOR H. They had no nrc protection. no
| police protection and no water. ! main
I tain that a higher taxation win not
| mitigate against the city half a. much
~ making them pay FOR something
| they do not get Speaking for the poo-
U Nif III my lhlAiuN hf Nnt CITY fiNN rum
| election ward. thcy are willing 10 pay
an Increase In taxes. providing they get
some water 10 drink, little 10
/ sprinkle their lawns with and 10 lay the
dust. know FOR fact tltat people had
to remain In their houses lnst rumhcr.
nweltcrinR with the heat, and could not
come out and III on their porehea boz
/ cause of the dust. Why. talk about
driving people out N We raise the taxes.
/ ! know landlords who pay ont double
the amount Of the present taxes On nc
count o' having 10 put In new lawns
and plant new trees every year"
Councilman Howe thought " the city
government could not give the people
what was absolutely necessary ana had
not the back bone 10 allow them what
they were now paying for, Il was far
more detrimental 20 the city'a growth
than 60 raise the taxes I'VE need the
improvements" he continued. "and
keep the city out OF debt, but 20 give
the Inhabitants of this city all needed
| and necessary improvements"
Councilman Wallace. In answer % a
question from Councilman Romney
said the raise ~ half a min In the taxes
was sufficient 20 meet the expense Of
the contemplated Improvement. but
would not De enough 20 pay on the
/ city'a Indebtedness. a raise OF one mill
he thought, would meet both require
menta.
Councilman Patrick said he signed
the report Of the committee with ful
understanding " the cost, for he had
taken the trouble 90 enquire into that
matter before aiiiNlng his signature
so far as he was concerned lac favored
adopting all the suggestions made bS
the city engineer IN his report. but h,
knew that was impraotioablc az IN,
present time on account Of the condi
tlDna Of the gltN'a pNghNutief "Sul
Lake city" continued Sir. Patrick. "hai
got 10 grow ana water we must have