The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-08
STREET IMPROVEMENTS,


The prosperity of city depends upo
the Improvement of its streets and tn
opening up of new thoroughfaps i
order that home builders can buy 10
and build a house. This is evidenced i
Astoria during the past two year,
Considerable complaint was made at tn
opening of Franklin avenue to the east
ern limits of the city, and that 500
of the cost of the Improvement had t,
be paid out of the general funds of tn,
city. The opening and improvement o
the street nas resulted in the building O.
thirty new residences at cost of moi
less than $4,000 nearly all of which ha:
been spent in Astoria The improvement
of Irving avenue will result in the build.
ing of at least a dozen new and hand.
some residences.
But the public is informed. that. owing
to the financial condition of the CITY
it win be impossible to undertake any
more improvements this year, especially
where the assessment against the prop,
erty will not pay the cost of improve.
ment. There are several other streets
that ought to be improved. Grand aven-
ne from Eleventh to Eighth. and Eighth
over the hill to Youngs bay ought to be
improved, but again We are met with
the fact that the assessment against
the property win not pay the cost of
the improvement and it can not, there
fore. be made.
II the property in the city were as
Ssssed at its actual cash value, as the
law says is shall be, all Of this property
would be assessed at sufficient amounts
to pay for the improvement and every
property owner along the street is ready
and willing to pay for Il. The fault
then does not lie with the city, but in
the violation of the laws of the state
relative to assessment and taxation,
synopsis of which is published in an,
other column. The assessor of Clatsop
county is no more to blame than the
assessors in other counties in the state.
They have formed sort of trust and all
agree to violate their oath of office and
the express laws of the state. If prop.
erty along these streets were assessed
at its actual cash value, instead of
about twenty-five per cent, the city
could make the improvement necessary
and which would build up the city and
provide homes for its people.
An illustration Of this may show the
methods of assessment in the city of
Astoria Four lots on the hill are as
sessed at $40. The owner has been Of.
fered 5000 for them. 1t costs to improve
the street along one of the lots, $S5.
The city can only assess for the improve.
ment rs per cent of the assessed value
of the property, or $50. The property
owner pays $50 for the improvement
and the city pays S55, and the property
receives the benefit. If the property
were assessed at its actual cash value
the lot would pay for the entire cost of
the improvement, as it should do, and
as other property in the business por.
ton of the city is compelled to do.
The usual assessment under the sys.
tenn in vogue, compells the owners Of
small homes to pay more than their pro-
portion of the taxes of the city and Of
the county. A man owns a small home
worth $1,000. The property is assessed |
at $3.50. or 25 per cent. Another man
owns lot on Commercial street that il
assessed at $500 He has been offered
$2l 900 cash for it. His property is as.
sessed at Is per cent. The small prop.
erty owner derives no revenue from his
property, 1t is his home. The large
owner receives $1,000 year in
rents from his property, or the rents
amount to nearly as much as the as.
sessed valuation of the property
The constitution of Oregon. article l.
section 32, provides that "all taxation
shall be equal and uniform" Not only
are the laws of the state violated, the
,ath of office of the assessor violated.
1ut the constitution of the state is yio.
ated.
jackson and Josephine counties will
lssess the property in those counties
IS the law contemplates, at its actual
ash value, this year. The result will