The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-12-06
MORE STRAIGHTAWAY
SEAWALL TALK
FROM A MAN WITH REASONS
OF HIS OWN FOR FIGHT.
ING THE MEASURE.

Editor Astorian;
THE Budget naggcd the city
council into building the Irving ave,
nue. boulevard, a thing Of beauty, at
public expense, and now il is max.
ing q desperate effort to gull the tax
payers into building so-ealled sea-
lwall-a project which, il carried out.
would probably end in wiping AS.
toria ont Of exiStanee. Should not
the people who support the Bulge,
be given fair deal on all public
questions; that is, be told the truth
and the whole truth, Just think OF
a newspaper asserting that only one
mill can be levied by the seawsll
commission when the bill plainly
reads five mills, and again il says
and reiterates that the taxpayer
whose property is assessed at $500
will only have TO pay $3.50 in FIVE
years II these false statements are
made through ignorance, is the pa
! per capable Of giving advice3 and ii
such statements are made TO delude
the voter, is such conduct honorable
to those who furnish the paper its
bread and hutterf For one, don't
think the question OF seawall un.
der present conditions, is worthy OF
consideration, but the question is
before the voters and must be dis
eussed
"The bill proposes the sale of $780,
600 in 5 per cent bonds to run up
to 40 years, This $4,000 il placed
in a savings bank, at 5 per cent in
terest. for 40 years, would increase
to $2043,0O0. Our assessment in the
city this year is $3,470,000 One
amount divided by the other will
show that the wooden bulkhead pro-
posed will cost each taxpayer the
sum Of 500 on every $1,000 assessed
valuation. The bill says the bulk
head must be maintained. All. there's
the rub. Men versed in such mat
ters say the upper part OF wooden
bulkhead must be renewed every l0l
years. Millions and perhaps billions
"Can any one prophecy the end OF
such a fool undertaking? And |
when this great bulkhead is com
pIete You can't make man fill his |
lot that lies behind it. except by 60
ing into court and proving that the
public health is endangered, and you |
couldn't prove it il you tried, espec-
tally when lots are to be confscated
by the hundreds And these bonds |
can be sold at 10 cents on the dol
lar II the seawall commission so de
sire. One strong advocate OF the
seawall says we shouldn't expect to
obtain more than 50 cents on the
dollar for the bonds, Mind you the
5000 on each $1,000 valuation is on
the present assessment, and the FIVE
mills is to be on increased assess
ments in the future to build and
IHdIutdlH anu pay AhN OihAi9lS' h9 I ]
read the ticket we are asked to bor-
row 100000 TO build bulkhead; to
levy for 40 years, FIVE mills annual
~, on the assessed valuation of As
toria property, which tax would
amount to $l7,35O II levied this year
How the 100000 is ever to be paid
back to the bond buyer, ask some
one smarter than |.
"Then next we have before us the
Port of Astoria bill, which would
produce sl7,350 on this years vaIua-
ton This is a five mill tax for
ever, and would increase as valua-
tions increased, Then the chamber
of commerce bill wants $500 a year. 4
to keep it going forever; but this
tax does not increase with increased
valuations.
"If all this mess is passed at the
election now only a few days off
Cod help the poor taxpayer and
the sooner he throws up the
sponge the better for himself and
family,
aIU 7 DEAdENTTtD