The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-20
CITY'S PRESENT POSITION
NO DECISION REACHED CONCERNING
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
Many suggestions Have Been offered
to the City AuthOrities-Other
Municipal Affairs.

Mayor Bookwalter said yesterday that
nothing had been decided upon with refer
ence to street Improvements. He said the
administration would be thoroughly advised
before it announced it's course.
Chairman Megrew, of the Board of Pub
lie Works. says the problem presented by
the present opposition to resurfacing is
large one for the public to weigh. There
are streets in the city that represent an in
vestment OF two and one-half millions and
there will be constant investment in them
in the future. If the city is to be charged
with the maintenance of all these streets
after they are paid for by the abutting
property Ii must have abundant funds. To
take the sum appropriated for next year
and start with East Washington street and
Virginia avenue means that there will be
$1,000 out of $4,000 left for all the other
streets Of the city. Every one knows this
to be inadequate.
But / do not want to look at the bad
side of things. l do not want to make
things appear any worse than they are. L
want to do the best we can under the cir
cumstances. If we can only repair one
side OF the street or patch 1t temporarily,
or any other scheme, / am ready to do 1t.
II believe that when property has paid
that it ought to be exempt from another
assessment for such purpose for twenty
five years That Is right. The general
public wears out the streets, not those who
pay for them. But If / extended this pro-
lection to abutting property L would also
limit the right of that property to remon-
strate effectively. l would permit one re-
monstrance to be effective, and then after
a certain time, say year or two, that right
would end and the improvement could be
made by the board as a matter of public
necessity"
MANY SUGGESTIONS MADE.
Many suggestions are coming to the board
in regard to the street-repair situation, and
1t is likely that the board will soon find St
self in a position to offer good solution
of the problems. Mr.. Megrew is convinced
that any legislation that would be passed
would not give relief under eighteen
months.
suggestion outside of administration
circles is for the amendment of the city
charter SO that the limit of taxation may
be 81 per 800 of taxables, instead of 30
cents, as now provided. 1t is also sug-
gested that this added 10 cents could be
specifically used for street maintenance and
repair alone. The man who suggested the
increase of the tax levy said he did so be-
cause he thought IL better for the city TO
do this work out Of its income rather than
by an issue of bonds, as an issue of bonds
in any considerable amount involved the
alteration OF the constitutional provision
fixing the debt limit at per cent. of the
tax duplicate. which practically i'm
possible. Besides raising the money by
direct taxation would not require an in
crease of the interest charges which bond
issue would. A levy of 10 cents would pro-
duce annually $4,000 which would be per
haps adequate to the needs.
Fortunately for the city no guarantees
on streets expire this year. The CITY is
passing between the last of the five-year
| guarantees and the expiration of the first
of the nine-year guarantees. 1t has been
| suggested that much of the anticipated OK
| pense of maintenance in the future NAV
| be minimized by requiring an extension of
| the guarantee period from nine to fifteen
| years. This, of course, means a nigner
| price for original construction, but puts
the responsibility for maintenance on the
| companies.