The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1901-12-07
The Side Walk Problem.
Mr.. EDIToR:-

| MR.. EDITOR - ..--.-.---....... .
| will premise my remarks il
writing this communication will
the statement that it is not my in
tentlon zto2 cast opprobrium OF
blame on any one connected with
the enactment of athesrecent side
walk ordinance, because I believe
that every member of the Counci
was honest in his action and die
what he considered best III the
disposal of this question:. 's-
But since the ordinance has Civ.
en- rise to so much discussion and
| may add. SO much Dissatisfaction
II inkthat there should be an
Interchange of opinion on the
subject and | deem it not amiss,
on my part, to give expression to
my views and offer a few sugges-
tions of this vexed question. Dis
satisfaction has arisen from two
causes, first because of the burden
that it will impose, at one time,
on many people unable to bear it,
second beeauseaof the possibility
of the ~discontinuance of the con-
ditions which will. enable the town
to carry out its part Of its self
imposed contract. There are
many people in the town who are
unable-to provide the means to
defray their portion Of the. 4ex-
pense which they would incur un-
der the terms of the ordinance,
and if a portion Of the present
revenues of, the town were re-
duced by a reduction ofsthe Whis-
key law license, the town would
find herselfsin. such a. financial
position that shes would not be
able to carry on the work of side
walk construction, unless she re-
sorted to the levy Of special tax
as provided in See. 81 of@the town
Charter. Said tax could not ex-
ceed five mills and would only be
available at the rate Of about
$2850 per annum under thepres-
ent valuation of property. The
council, / will admit, acted within
the pale of its authority, under
the powers conferred on it by
said Sec "a of the Charter, but it
seems to me that Art. 28I of the
State Constitution provides a bet
ter method for improvements Of
the character contemplated in the
ordinance.
By a bond issue, as.proyided for
under said Article of the Consti-
tuition. the money would all be
available at 0nce and the pay
ments, as far as thessindlvidual
taxpayer is concerned, would be
through a series of
years and weuld thereby be less
burdensome to the poor people of
the community. Besides this
question of sidewalk building
would be left, to a vote Of the tax
and their consent to be-
ing taxed, as'provided for by law,
would have to he first obtained.
Now, Art. l281s Of the Constitutions
provides that municipal corpora-
tions, after having been author
lied by a vote of the property
taxpayers, may issue bonds for
the construction of certain kinds
Of public improvements, among
which sidewalks are enumerated.
It further provides that the cor
poration cannot issue honds to an
excess of ten per cent of the as
sessed valuation Of the property,
that said bonds cannot run longer
than the time published in the
call for their issuance and cannot
be issued at all for term exceed.
ng-,fortys years. IL also pre-
scribes that said bonds shall not
bear greater rate of interest than
Eve per cent per aIlnun1, and shah
not Be negotiable at less chan par;
and that the tax by which the. in.
Eerest shall be paid and out Of
which redemption fund shall be
created shall not exceed five mills
on the dollar. So, taking these
facts into consideration would at
not have been best to have sub
mitted this question to q vote OF
The people and let them say
whether or not they were willing
TO tax themselves for d term Of
years to provide for the payment
IF these improvements? Such al
measure, if adopted, would afford
to all the people a more favorable
basis ON which to pay, and would
leave the children, who are to be-
come the benefciaries of these
comforts and conyeniences, an OPP
portunity to assist in the payment
Df fthese useful things which were
provided for them by the fore
sight and thoughtful onsideration
sf their ancestors. The present
valuation of the taxable
,rpY,erty In the town is 1868. 600.
4 tax of five mills levied on this
amount would produce q revenue
Il AnnArNEn RT~.r SF a hnnd ISsl1n