The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-05
The Commissioners
And Incorporation

indulged in 40 to what action the
county commissioners will take at
their special meeting next Tuesday
upon the petition for the incorpora-
tion Of Friday Harbor. As a matter
of fact they have very little discre-
tion in the matter. Their duty is
clearly defined by statute. The law
does more than say what they MAY do;
1t declares what they MUST do. They
must. for instance, satisfy themselves
thet the proposed limits Of incorpora-
tom do not include more than one
square mile; that not more than TWEEN.
acres Of unplatted land belonging to
any one person are included within
such limits without the consent of the
owner; that the population of the area
described and intended to be includ-
ed IL not less than 800. and that the
petition bears the signatures of at
least sixty qualified electors resident
within the limits of the proposed COR
poration. If the requirements Of
the statute in these respects are COM
piled with. which must be determined
within two months after the petition
is presented. the commissioners
"SHALL then give notice of an cleo
tion to be held in such proposed COR
poration, for the purpose of deter
mining whether the same shall be in
As the questions of area and popu-
lation were conclusively determined q
year and half aRo, and the present
bears the signatures of eighty
qualified electors. 1t would seem that
the commissioners might consistently
take immediate action and call an
without needless delay. The
law requires that at least to weeks no.
lice be given by publication or posting.
Most of the important legal points
involved in the question. likely to in
fuence the thoughtful voter either
for or against the proposition. we're
briefly set forth in the islander last
week and occasioned much favorable
1t appears that there are
a few property owners who fear that
they might be excessively taxed with
out an adequate return. For their
the statement is repeated
that " the levy for ALL PURPOSES,
for any one year, shall not exceed one
dollar on each 500 of the assessed
value of all real and personal proper
ty." We are paying half Of this max
imum amount now as a road tax. from
which we would be exempt if incorpor-
ated. The law limits the bonded in
lebtedness of any city or town
which may be incurred by the council
to one and one half per cent of the
assessed valuation of taxable proper
ty. A larger bonded Indebtedness
for public utilities-such as water
system, lights and sewers. may be in
Cured up to limit of FIVE per cent
Of the assessed valuation If author
lied by three f1fths vote of the quail
fled electors at an election called for
The purpose. As the assessed valua-
lion of property within the proposed
limits of Friday Harbor
probably does not exceed 5000.
300 at the present time. it is evident
hat the council could not. even il SO
incur large debt. It would
REQUIRE q three -fifths vote of the quail
fled electors to authorize q bond is
,ue sufficient to provide municipal
water system at all adequate to the
needs of the town. and 1t may even
be- questioned whether the amount
which might be so authorized would
be sufficient. The council would have
power, however, to grant franchise
% a private individual. firm or corpor-
,tion for the construction and opera
ion of water system. without ex-
oense to the town except for water
,sed for purposes Of FIRE protection
md sewer flushing.
The cost Of sewer construction would
have to be paid entirely By owners Of
abutting property. except across
,treets. where the cost would be borne
by the town and paid out OF the pro-
,eeds Of the general tax levy, unless