The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-02
TOO MUCH TAXATION.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OPPOSES
PROPOSED LAW.
for Water Are Entftlea to Have
Condatts Laid Free Chamber

The members OF the Chamber OF Com
mercs, at their regular weekly meeting
yesterday afternoon. took up the question
OF the proposed .aw assessing property
for laying of water mains. etc. IN adds-
iion ie the taxes paid for such purposes
into the general fund.
The consensus of opinion was that the
proposed b.i should ii become law.
would be a practical confiscasion of prop
erty by the multiplication Of taxes.
The amendment proposed TO the Cedar
river water ordinance. setting aside $ls0, coo
each year. no more and no less. for the
payment OF the bonds and interest thereon
issued to build the new waterworks. was
approyingiy debated In the chamber. This
amount would pay the bonds, principal
and interest. 10 twenty years. and would
leave a large surplus In the water fund
which the citizens hoped would be used
In laying new water mains and replacing
old mains with larger pipe, without max
ing a direct tax en- the properly benefited
by the improvements Ii was and is urged
that the citizens having paid the city
fair price for water furnished them. they
should not be asked TO pay for the pipes
bringing the water to them Il is argued
that when property owners pay private
concerns for water. gas, etc. those con-
Germs furnish the coniiUits to bring the
commodity TO the rate payer, and the city
should do likewise. In other words. hay-
ing paid into the water fund an amount
for wafer which must be largely in excess
OF the cost OF delivering the same. the tax
payer should not be asked 10 pay any
more.
The Chamber of Commerce passed the
following resolution in regard to the mat
ter:
Be il resolved. That the Chamber of
Commerce concurs in the resolution adopt
ed by the Real Estate Board. protesting
against the passage OF the proposed law
assessing against abutting property the
cost to the amount OF 81 per front foot.
the expense OF laying new water mains.
The city has, out OF the general fund.
Incurred the expense of laying pipes in
all the outlying districts. and the Iegisia-
ton proposed at time when ordinary
taxes on such properties are largely de-
iinauent. IS equivalent to confiscation and
therefore unwise-
J. W. elise. who occupied the chair in
the absence of President Graves handed
10 the secretary the following reports
upon matters referred To him as chairman
of committees.
The chamber finds that IL is too late
10 attempt TO bring before the present
legislature the question OF the adoption
Of a law providing for township govern
msnt.
The chamber VIII act with American
miners In the Attn district British Co
iuubia. In their effort Ia secure damages
for claims improved before the passage of
the alien law and by the operations of
that law taken from the American owners
The chamber is arcrse TO eedIng any
portion of King county TO any ether coun-
~ In the state, for any purpose whatso-
ever. and especially averse TO ceding a
portion OF the county bordering on Com
meneement bay To Pierce county The
whole story of the scheme was gone over.
and in the parlance OF the curhstone the
proposed measure TO be introduced before
the Legislature was turned down.
Thomas Prosch was elected perman eut
secretary Of the Chamber Of Commerce