The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-01-31
BOARD HEEDS NONE OF
VARIOUS PROTESTS
INTERESTING QUESTION ARIS-
ES OUT OF METHOD OF
MAKING ASSESSMENTS

AT meeting Of the board Of equali-
zation in the council chambers yester-
day afternoon all Of the various as
sessment rolls before it for consid-
Grafton we're adopted as they stood
that is, recommendation was made in
each instance that the common coun-
Gil adopt them as made by the board
of assessors. Several protests had
been entered, and there were several
gentlemen present to voice the reason
for their protests, but the board saw
no adequate reason for making any
change at all. The board passed upon
FIVE assessment rolls, which have been
duly advertised for the last ten days.
An interesting question arises out
OF one Of the protests. Mrs. Mary
Morgan protested against her assess
ment on Jerome avenue, between Fif-
teenth and Sixteenth streets for which
her assessment was the sum of $262.-
81; while the contract price for the
improvement of the entire block was
only very little more. For the en-
tire district, it was $5S64. Mrs. Nor
gan thought it unjust that she should
pay, for her two lots, a sum nearly
equivalent to the contract price for
the whole block. On the face of the
matter this does seem an injustice,
though study of the question will
readily show that the other side
looms up very largely.
Mrs. Morgan's contention and that
Of others who have made like protests
lis that she should pay alone for the
improvement in the block in which
she lives. In this case the work be-
tween Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets
was not costly; the costly improve
ment was elsewhere on the street,
though Of course within the assess
ment district If Mrs, Morgan were
to have paid her proportionate share
of the block in front of her place
alone her assessment would have been
much smaller than it was.
But-and here's the rub-those who
lived in blocks where the improve
ment would be very costly would
have to pay for all the costly work.
Mrs, Morgan is compelled to pay
not alone for the slight Improvement
in front Of her place, but has to bear
her share Of the costly work else
where within the district.
Some argue that this plan is unfair,
Others argue that it is reasonably fair
and is the only plan that can be car
ried out; that no other plan win
permit a city to build streets,
OF course this argument is entirely
aside from the plain provisions of the
charter, which require the board to
make their assessments within GER
tain prescribed district, according to
the benefits" Thus, of course, the
board is performing its duties in the
only way that the law will permit, and
the qestion is merely Of interest as an
argument whether the present man
ner Of making assessments is equit-
able or not
Upon the whole it would seem that
no other plan is practicable and, again
it is, on the whole, just manner Of
making assessment. A man who re.
quires. no grading in front Of his lot
yet is perhaps entirely equally benefit
ted by the opening Of a street, as is
man two blocks away who has small
mountain" in front of his place
which must be cut away in making
the improvement In fact, it is not
at all difficult to show in Astoria