The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-01-02

to be voted; want it, but want it
limited TO a small tax, WHICH is abso-
lutely necessary to repair aid keep our
roads in first-class condition; our pres
ent road tax Is insufficient in our road
district.
A special road tax should be used so
as not to discriminate In favor of one
part of district against another part. If
the special tax voted in any district is
used to macadamize any particular
road 1t always forces some to pay for
something which they cannot use. To
illustrate, in East Hood River district,
II main road was macadamiZed from
town to Pine Grove, there would be
some tax payers who live on the west
side of the river; some who live in tie
west corner of the district, who travel
the Tucker road and some kvingeast of
town, all of whom would be taxed
heavily for the benefit of others.
am opposed to heavy special tax
for macadam purposes when it is to be
voted on all residents of the district
and used to benefit but part Let me
offer plan, which to my mind is far
better II the people living along any
county road desire to macadam that
road let it be done by petition. We
should have law so framed that the
county court would have the power to
grant the request of any petition which
is signed by majority of the property
owners along any road, which they de-
sire TO macadamize, and the county
court should have the power to levy a
special tax to meet the required ex-
penses of said road within one mile
from its center on both sides, and said
taxes should be collected as all other
taxes. II Is very plain to any reason
able man that the property which lies
abutting the proposed macadamized
road will be mostly benefited, both in
property value aud easy access. Hence
this property should pay the heaviest
part of expenses. In like manner the
property lying closer to the road should
pay most of the special tax 10 illustrate
this idea, property lying OH and within
quarter mile of a macadam road
should be taxed 40 per cent, property
| lying between quarter and half-mile
should pay 30 per cent, property lying
between one-half and three-quarters of
of mile, should pay 20 per cent, and
property lying between three-fOurths
of mile and mile, should pay 10
per cent of the cost.
This rate may not be exactly correct
but is very near it and will do for an
illustration of this plan to macadalnize
road. This system is used in nearly
all cities in macadamizing streets. Un-
der this system no party is unjustly
taxed and no part of district can
dictate what kind of roads the other
part must have, and those benefited
pay the bills while those who are not,
still have chance to maeadamize
their own roads.
In asking for legislation to give us
the power to macadamize roads under
this petition plan it would arouse less
opposition from the corporate
powers aud would give US an oppor-
tunity to macadamize every road in
the valley, providing the taxpayers
along said roads desire to do so.
When we first met in convention one
week ago | was strongly in favor of
the special tax for matchmaking being
voted. Since giving it careful study !
am forced to favor the plan of macad-
amizing by petitioning the county
court, which shall have the power to
levy an assessment upon all property
abutting and adjacent within one mile
of said road to be macadamized. l
would recommend a law making the
county road fund pay for surveying,
setting grade stakes aud preparing the
grade 20 feet wide for receiving mac
adam. | would also recommend that
board of supervisors be elected in
each road district, especially in road
districts where a special tax is levied,
instead of one supervisor as under our
present law. would also recommend
that all macadamizing be done by con-
tract and the contractor be held re-
sponsible with heavy bond.
would advise the investigation of
the bonded assessment system now
in use in Portland pertaining to street
Improvements and that similar law
be made TO apply to taxes for macad-
amizing roads. Lest some may not
understand this system I'll give brief
illustration. The tax for maeadam-
izing would be levied by the county
court. This would be heavy tax,
some could not pay all at once. Under
the bonded assessment, those who de-
sired could pay one-tenth each year
for 10 years, paying 6 per cent per an
mum on all taxes remaining unpaid
each year. Those who desired could
pay all taxes at once. Under this
system no bond is placed over the dis.
trict and every one who takes out a
bonded assessment virtually signs a
tax lien upon his property, and the Sc
curity is such that the obligations would
meet ready sale, thereby making il
possible to obtain ready cash for the
early completion of said macadamiz-
ing.
In conclusion desire to say that
my thoughts may not coincide with
yours, but L am willing to exchange
them and do my just share in trying
to secure good roads. But | must em-
phasize this thought am disgusted
and absolutely opposed to trying to
patch up our old worn out mud roads
in any manner whatever, and shall
continue TO try to conYince my friends
that the only right way to repair our
roads is by placing upon them a good
macadamized road bed not less than
l6 inches deep and 20 feet wide. We
have abundance of rock and gravel in
easy access to most of our roads and
cost of matchmaking would be less
here than similar work in other states.
We are engaged in fruit growing, which
demands the best of roads to success
fully market our product. We are
living in a district having a heavy
rainfall and engaged in vocations re-
quiring heavy hauling during this
season. We represent a very thickly
settled farming district, with land val
ues higher than in many Eastern states
which are traversed with macadam-
lied roads from one side to the other,
and we represent settlement of far
mers who for enterprise and thrift are
IL i Il.