The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-01-21
ROAD rot.L TAX MIL
READY FOR ENACTMENT
Measure itas ur,n Drafted ny tho rus,
club Legislative C,mm.trco aud
Svnt 60 Salon

Tho legislative committee ~ lhr As.
'ar-' Progressive Commercial Assoria.
t't yesterday completed tho work ~
drafting tho measure providing for tho
collection ot poll take. Tbr work ~
prcpasins 'ho uow o.a Mas extensive. and
,h" committee pui ia .ota.dcrab,o ,lmu
on l,.
Ih" hIl In exhaustive. and cannot b.
picked 20 pirccs a. Il waA drafted by
John u Smith and Harrison Alien two
members ot tho legislative committee
THIS bill provides FOR tho lryyIns OF
poll tax In ClatHop county ~ =. year
on all persons noe othorwhp paying
taScA Tho Push club committee which
arranged this plan FOR tho creation OF
fund expects that about .0m or y6coo
will DO derived from poll ta1cs thus
collected, II $40 aru collected tho fund
will DO greater By L1O than now Is paid
By persons subject to poll taxes
Tho manner or collecting this tax has
been matter ot mitch concern 20 those
Interested In tho bill. as pcoptr goucraily
seem 20 think that they DO NO, have 10
pay poll taxes, Tho lovying of such a
tax has been considered moro or lcsa OF
"a Joke In tho past, and the city seldom.
n ever. has collected more than IO0 or
$50. In Washington state and elsewhere
LAWS have been enacted providing fOr the
collection OF poll taxes. and hayo b, on
found 10 work quite successfully Thv
hll drafted by tho Push club committee,
specifies the manner oi collection. and
holds employers responsible for the pay.
mont ~ the tax hy the men lu thrlf I'm.
pI'y The bal has been 80 framed ~ To
MAX" d, necessary Tor thr Chinese cm.
piDy~ of tho salmon rnnncrl"n tp pay
tho poll TAX. ana Il II considered lust
even by the Chnamcn who have paid
nothing for the privilege of good streets.
lights etc. IN the past
II the Gamers arp held responsible for
Tho collection ~ tho tax. there Will bc
Little trouble in getting the money Il Is
estimated tina; there aro nearly 90
Chinese employed In the various can.
norioa here and the $3.50 derived from
/ these men will assist materially In the
building OF good ronds, Tor which purpose
tho bin has been prepared II IL expect
ed that there arc loo other persons In
tho city subject 10 this tax and the fund
may be- increased 10 tGoOJ Al this money.
according TO the program Is 70 be lurncd
/ over to tho county by the city and cx-
I pended on county roads Tho first high
/ way to DO improved with tho fund thus
| created Is tho road south 10 Olncy. II rs
/ tho intention 70 build only tho very best
/ road and there will be no repair accounts
/ 10 meet every year.
When tho Olncy road ~ completed the
money will be expended on tho road west
TO seaside after which thn base Of opcr.
/ atoms will be transferred to the eastern
/ portion Of tho county In this manner
| three line highways may be consructrd
almost In a straight line from the city
In the course OF four or hve years, at
| practically no cost Except the $500 now
collected by tho city for poll taxcs) 10
tho tax payers. When these roads are
| finished, tho money Will be used on
branch roads, and open up the entire
| county to settlement. II IL indeed Il great
scheme. and will have the effect Of bring
Ing hundreds OF farmers 10 Clalsop
county.
There Is little doubt that the bill will
| pass the legislature.