Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1909-05-11
MAYOR REPEATS ASSERTIONS
rouncil's Letter Calls Forth Spirited
Reply From City's Chief
Executive.

IN the citizens and taxpayers of the
eity of Dallas:
inasmuch as the new mayor has seen
st to make some statements and re-
Elections in his message to the council
Hat are not warranted by the facts, or
n Ieast subversive of the facts, we, the
4tha members of the council, whom he
would yillify, desire that you may know
Il sha exact condition of all the matters OF
which his message treats. :,
Instead of there being 81, ,179.1 avail
oble for street improvements and gen
araI exnenses, the mayors own figures
lives the sum of $2,879.7l, and the
navor well knew that there was a con-
s;derable sum above this when certain
streets that are in course of building
I'VE completed, that the council has paid
sor ont of the general fund, will be re-
bald by the property abutting.
Instead of there being So, 400 outstand-
;ng warrants, there is $500, and Sec
tion IS of our charter does not provide
far the things set out in his message at
All. This section only runs to and
AGAINST the liability of the council, II
t6ere should be obligations uncovered.
Tine mayor could have told you that
against the outstanding warrants was
nToperty of the value of $1,000, at a low
Estimate. The quarry and crusher
could be sold for $4,000, and is worth
very much more to the city, and the
larger part of the warrants outstanding
were given for the payment OF TINS prop
& erty.
The mayor calls the attention OF the
pubic to like condition OF county linn
Il + indebtedness to $5,000 when at the
nresent time our bank is holding, or
was few days ago, warrants to the
amount of $4,000, and he further
8 knows that during the time that his
LAW partner was county judge that the
E amount of outstanding warrants OF the
county were above this amount most OF
s the time, and, also, that this method
Of finances prevails all over the state,
4 and it is the best for the taxpayer and
business rather tnan levy excessive
taxes that there may be money on
Z hand in advance There is no occasion
for arranging for larger debt allow
ance, 1t is only at such times as the
city is making permanent improve
ments that this apparent Indebted
ness will occur. The property benefit
ed pays for the improvements and
when completed is collected and paid
. for without any relation to taxes, ex-
cept for street intersections, and for
this year the council has provided for
them.
The mayor says streets and sewers
are needed badly. Not at all. Our
streets are fair and compare very ia
vorably with other cities of our size,
but civic pride, in keeping with our
standing as progressive city, to make
good the advertising we are doing, we
must make not only our streets better,
but stand for better things generally.
We call the attention of the taxpayers
at this time to the fact that your coun-
ell made improvements last year at a
cost of more than $4,000, done the
work at home with the labor of our
own citizens, and they are all
paid for, and | doubt if there is
single citizen in the city that would go
back to old conditions. And another
fact is positively known-the same was
done for many thousands of dollars less
than it could be contracted for or done
in any other way.
And water supply The mayor knows
that when the present system and plan
was entered into that the city had one
OF the best attorneys in the state to safe
guard its interests, and that during
the present year the council have had
the matter gone over carefully by an
able attorney, also that the council
have entered into new arrangements
with the water company for water met.
ers and that they are on the ground
and will be installed as fast as possible,
and that water rates will be reduced
Finally the council are taxpayers,
and would be the last men in the city
to spend money foolishly, and we are
certain that we are supported by very
large majority of the taxpayers and en-
tirely by the business interests. The
only two of the old council that stood
for reelection, were elected by large
majorities, and il the council find that
conditions change and the taxpayers or
business conditions do not warrant i'm
proyements, they will he ready at any
time to change their policies.
Respectfully submitted,
Retiring Mayor A. B. Muir.
NJ. NJ. Ellis
II. b. Cosper
Abel Uglow Corrcilman
f. J. Coad u
Ed Shaw
G. Stafrin