The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1906-01-11
CITY MAY GET TAX
RATE DOWN TO $3.50
AT a Meeting Held Last Night Reductions
Were Agreed On in Several
Departments.

, ohases for the departments and an
other in allowing the bills without
the endorsement Of the chief of the
department for which purchases are
made. But these matters will come
up later.
The appropriation for streets will
probably be cut some. Last year
the appropriation was $4,000.
A member of the board Of public
works said today there are 425
blocks OF improved streets in the
city, and the wear and tear on them
increases each year. The suburbs
are growing rapidly throwing heav-
Ter traffic on some of the back streets
some of which have never had any
money expended on them for i'm
provements, but which 1t is now i'm
perative should be given attention.
To sweep the improved streets.
that IL the brick and bitulithic, both
those down and under contemplation.
will cost $500. The board wants
to widen Broadway out beyond
Fountain avenue. and to build a new
street, which would be 2lst street,
from the Hinkleville road through
Broadway via the old pest house and
on TO the depot. as the people in that
end of the city are clamoring for
fuch a street. claiming they now have
TO come down to Ninth street to cross
over to the depot.
All the improved street intersec-
| tions will come out OF this fund. too.
| the board claims, as will the intersec-
lions for the pavements. and there
are good many low lots and fills
the board is anxious to I'll at once.
The board will want about $500
OF new machinery TO complete the
Fourth street fill. The board asks
for an appropriation OF $35 600. but
IL probably did not understand that
the now council will not charge II
with anything but actual street
work. In its recommendations II
asked for 81 800 for the two bridges
across Island creek and the council
will take care of them. II thought
with a special appropriation The
board was also figuring on an ex-
pense of $1,000 for engineering
work on the new sewerage district
and this may be taken care OF out
of the contingent fund, as the boards
have announced their intention of
taking care of all needed improve
mcnts of such a nature in this way
II may be decided, however. that
the new boards will deem many OF
these improvements as much as they
are needed and desired. unnecessary
this year, and decline to provide for
them until other things are looked
after, and the taxpayers have had
breathing spell after three years
of the most exorbitant taxation In
the city's history. These things
will probably be decided tonight.
The desire of the boards seem to be
to rescue the people from such siren
nous taxation, even II for only one
year.
Omcials of the city think that the
assessment will probably be increas-
ed this year over last 5 to Z per cent.
At 5 per cent, the increase In reve-
nue. would be $4,000. The assessed
valuation last year was between sS,-
600 900 and s9,0oO!000. The total
revenues of the city were $252,00O.
The new license ordinance will in
crease the revenues some, and there
is no doubt of the council cutting
the tax rate at least 25 cents on the
81 900, and then making liberal al
lowances for needed improvements.
A member OF the council said to-
day that II is not beyond the pale
of possibilities that the tax rate for
next year would be placed at $3.50,
and liberal allowances made for all
the departments. The council has
found about $4,000 TO $4,000
which can be cut from the annual
appropriations and hopes that the
assessment this year will run TO the
SO 900 900 mark which would tend
to lower the rate.
The appropriations contemplated
for next year allow $4,000 for pre-
lminary work on the new sanitary
sewerage district, which is ample, II
is thought, and $4,000 for the Ii
brary, which will give the library
about $500 for new books. The
schools will get 35c as directed by
the law.
The street sprinkling question will
be left to the street committees of
both boards and plan FOR sprink-
ling along the lines suggested by the
board of works will probably be es-