The St. Louis Republic., 1901-10-03
THEY WILL BE PAVED.

If there are any unwilling property
owners who think that the Improvement
OF streets is wholly contingent on the
passage of the Charter amendments, a
study of the present Charter and of the
| proposed changes in that instrument
| will speedily convince them to the con-
! trary. This. taken in connection with
| the purposes Of the present city admins
tration. should convince every man who
thinks TO hinder street reconstruction
by voting against the amendments that
he Is mistaken.
Under the Charter as It stands street
improvements are not impossible. as the
vast amount of work already in progress
in the central part of the city witnesses.
Unamended or amended, the Charter
will enable the city to proceed with
| putting the thoroughfares in condition
for the millions Of visitors in 1903.
Progress Will be slower, less equitable
and more expensive. but ii can be made.
| As the law now stands, the Board of
! Public improvements prepares bill
| providing for the paving or reconstruc-
ton of street 1t is passed by the Mu
| nicipal Assembly. When time for cot
lecting the special tax bills arrives, the
property owner must pay Immediately.
or, failing to do so. is forced to satisfy
| a penalty of / per cent a month. The
contractor can dispose of the tax bill TO
third party whose location cannot be
determined by the property owner. thus
| forcing him to wait two years until suit
is brought, when "a per cent is added
to the original amount Of the bill.
, Not only that, but If the street i'm
proved happens to be a Cross street, the
| owners of corner lots must pay the bill
| according to frontage. Other property
| owners in the same block, though receiy-
! ing benefits from the construction Of the
| cross street, escape the payment of
! taxes This is manifest injustice that
has made officials slow to impose such
| large burden on taxpayers, especially
when settlement must be made in
| lump sum.
II the amendments are adopted prop
j erty holders will have the privilege OF
| paying for the improvements by Install
| ments extending over period Of from
three to seven years. The interest rate
| is placed at 6 per cent, and the penalty
is reduced from IL to 8 per cent. The
contractor is also forced to designate a
place Of payment which shall be either
the City Treasurers Office or some local
| institution. Also, the owners Of corner
lots pay hut one-fourth of the special
tax on a frontage basis while the other
three-foWths OF the cost is distributed
| among the owners Of property in the
half block adjoining the corner in pro-
portion to area; streets and alleys being
| excluded.
So. while street improvements can be
made under the present Charter, there
are manifest injustices in the manner
of assessing and collecting the special
tax. The streets must and will be i'm
proved. Mayor Wells was elected on
that platform-a platform almost iden-
tical with those Of other parties in that
respect. 1t remains for the voters TO de-
termine whether these improvements
shall be made with the least burden on
the taxpayers. An adoption of the Char
ter amendments at the special election
| October % will assure the easiest way
ont of condition that must be faced.