The Paducah evening sun., 1910-03-23
Special Assessment and Tax
District Laws Are Opera.
tive at Once.
City Solicitor Explains Pur.
pose and Meaning.
STREETS AND SEWERS BENEFIT

oy c+udpoi EaNVns hae uttu hplffoNtu
by the governor, and IL It's companion
bill. No. 246, is approved. or be
comes a law March 25 without the
governors signature. Paducah may
proceed with sewer and street and
sidewalk work this year, as the bll1s
carry an emergency clause, making
them operative az soon as they are
signed by the governor or become
laws without his signature.
In brief these bills permit the gen
erai council 90 specify improvement
districts, within which certain inn
provements are 70 be made. either In
the way OF permanent streets. laying
sewers or constructing sidewalks.
and assessing the cost against prop
eriy holders within the district
They also permit the general council
10 issue ten year bonds % cover the
coat. 80 that the contractors can re-
ceive cash as the work progresses, the
bonded debt being apportloned among
the property holders and their assesss-
ments made liens upon their property
payable TO the city In ten annual IN
stallments. all OF which viii cut
down the cost OF the improvements
and extend the time OF payment.
City Solicitor Campbell. who pre-
pared the MEASURES for the leglsla-
ture. modelling them after the best
laws OF a similar nature In operation
In other states. prepared the follow
Ing explanation OF the laws:
Mr.. Campbell Explains.
The recent acts OF the legislature
In which Paducah ~ Interested, on
cially known az Senate bills i2i
ard 2t6." but publicly known as
"publlc Improvement district bills.
Is quite a radical change from the
present law governing the construc-
tion OF streets. sewers and sidewalks.
both as to the requirements OF the
city and as 10 the requirements OF
the holders Of properly abutting the
Improvement.
In the first place they pgoyide
that where a street. avenue o. alley
has been permitted TO remain open
to the unrestricted use OF the public
foF Ave consecutive years. then the
city shall have the right TO take pos
session OF such street. avenue or al
ley without any further dedication
thereof. and shall have been consid-
cred az dedicated 10 the city. without
any formal dedication.
They provide that the costs OF the
construction OF the streets. alleys or
other public ways. including the side
walks. curblng and guttering. shall
be made al the exclusive cost of the
abutting property owner. whether
original or re-improved. exceptingI
however. that where the proposed
Improvement exceeds any per cent
of the value OF the property abuttng
said improvement. then the city shall
pay the excess over iifty per cent Of
the value.
II becomes also the dVty OF the
abutting property holder. q the ten
year bond plan Is not adopted for
said Improvement, TO pay the special
tax levied for the payment of such
Improvement TO the city treasurer
within thirty days after same be-
comes due. and any property holder
who fails TO pay this special tax with
in that time. Is subject to a penalty
OF ten per cent TO be added 60 his
special tax bill. which shall be a
lien upon the property OF equal dig
nifty with the original special tax
lien. The old method of paying OF
the estimates issued by the city and
placed in the hands of the contrac-
tors for collection Is done away with
and under the present law the con-
tractor has nothing to do with the
collection of the special tax. as II
will all be done through the city
treasurer's Office, In the same manner
as the ordinary tax OF the city.
Method of Procedure.
Before. however. the city can make
the Improvement OF any street, alley
sidewalk or sewer. IL becomes the
duty OF the general council TO adop'
a resolution designating the street
sidewalk or sewer proposed to b'
improved, and setting out in genera
terms the character and extent OF th'
proposed improvement. and this reso
luton must be published in the OH
cial newspaper In the city at leas
Ave days before the ordinance provid
ing for the improvements is passes
by either board Of the general coun