Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-11
STATEMENTS OF COMMISSION

THE consolidation commission of
| the city and county of Los Angeles to
whom has been intrusted the duty of
conducting the campaign for the an-
nexation of territory proposed to be
added to the city of Los Angeles be-
tween that city and the cities Of Wit
mngton and San Pedro desires to lay
before you the reasons and some of the
material advantages that would be
gained by annexation of the territory
to Los Angeles.
Congress bases its appropriations
largely upon the amount of commercial
transactions occurring at the port, and
by consolidation San Pedro harbor
would have the prestige of the COM
nercial transactions of Los Angeles
Consolidation would bring about better
control and practically insure free
harbor for all the people of Southern
California.
Los Angeles would become known
as a seaport Eity and the harbor cities
will become a part of the great muhl-
cipality, participating in its CONNER
cial advantages and deriving benefits
from it's commercial prestige,
1.-THE annexed territory would par
ticipate in the benefits to be derived
from the school, water and police sys-
TENS, also the fire and health pro-
visions now in use in the city of Los
Angeles without any assumption of any
part of the present bonded indebted
ness of the city of Los Angeles.
THE machinery of Los Angeles city
government will be at the disposition
of the new territory for the care and
improvement of it's streets, etc. A
boulevard, built under the Vrooman
act at the expense of the city of Los
Angeles and the proposed annexed
territory. enhancing property values.
is one of it's splendid possibilities.
Next to Owens river this project
| is of paramount Importance to the
residents of Southern California, and
If not carried now an indefinite delay
may jeopardize it's ultimate consum-
nation.
THE territory proposed to be an
neXed has water bearing lands which,
under development as contemplated by
the water commission, Will add largely
| to the present water supply, in the
benefits of which all will participate.
Upon a thorough investigation made
| by competent men it is found that the
tax rate In the proposed annexed ter
ritory in many instances will not be
materially increased and in some cases
it will be less owing to the fact that
the road tax of so cents would be
eliminated and that the cost of school
maintenance of schools in the city is
very much less than in the country
districts.
THE individual welfare of every cit
zen is vitality concerned in this pro-
posed action, it being more important
to the city of Los Angeles and the
territory affected than all other cleo
tions, as it is along the lines of greater
commercial development.
1T is imperative that every voter in
the city and the proposed annexed
territory cast his ballot in favor of
this important step, and let there be so
many ballots marked Yes that there
will be no question on the part of the
opposition manifested as to what the
people desire. When this is accom-
plished Los Angeles seaport will be
the nearest port on the Pacific coast
to the available markets of the world.
CONSOLIDATION COMMISSION OF
THE CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS
ANGELES.
by S. A. Butler, president.
"a. p. Fleming, secretary.
The tax situation in the territory
proposed to be annexed to the city of
Los Angeles is one of the most i'm
portant problems to be reckoned with
and is the one that is causing the most
dissension and doubt in the minds of
the voters concerned as to the advis-
ability of consolidating with Los An
geles. The following statement of facts
| by the consolidation commission will
serve to elucidate and enlighten those
concerned regarding the real condition
| existing:
1.-The present tax rate in the city is
| as follows: For the old corporate lin
| it's of the city the tax rate is $116, for
that part of the city that was an
nexed in the year 1896 the tax rate Is
| $1.10, for that part of the city that was
annexed in the year 1899 the tax rate
Is $1.08. The amount exceeding $1.00
on all of these tax rates Is for bonded
| Indebtedness which includes both the
bonded Indebtedness of the city and
| that of the city schools) Take for in
stance, the first rate mentioned, $1.I6,
16 cents of which is for the payment of
bonded indebtedness incurred from the
| beginning to the present time. The
law provides that any territory by be-
coming part of any municipality does
not obligate itself to pay for the bond
ed Indebtedness of such municipality
at the times of it's admission. There
! fore, the largest amount that the an
neXed territory could be called on to
pay at the present time is the regu-
| lar cost of the city government, name-
! ly, $1.00 on the 500, which includes the
city school tax of ID cents, and this
deducted from the 81 rate would leave
| DuI 90 Genus, WHICH is Ine largest
amount that could be added to the tax
rate that the people out of the city
are now paying. According to the law
the people in the territory to be an
nexed are not called upon to pay school
taxes in two localities, while they are
still obligated to pay off the bonded
Indebtedness against their school dis
trict existing at the time of admission
they are privileged to allow their chill
dren to attend the city schools without
paying a city school tax. The rate
that the property owners outside of the
present city limits of the city of Los
Angeles are called ON to pay is 81 so
eco cents of which is road tax and
would be eliminated by annexation.
the roads and streets being taken care
of by the city, plus the local school
tax rate, which at Gardena, for in
stance. is 81 cents; this added to the
rate of $1.6O would make total rate
that the citizens of Gardena are pay
ing at the present time of $2.41 Take
from this rate the road tax of go cents,
as it would be eliminated by annexa-
tion, and you have rate of $1.S1 left,
and then add to this So cents, the high
| est city tax that is now posSihlv as-