Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-11-23
ISSUE FACING
BUSINESS men
Do They Want Their Burdens
Made Heavier ?
COMMUNICATED

NNUunt NlIAlEDst
The Times-Recorder, City
Dear sirs: On Wednesday of next
week the taxpayers of Americas are
to decide an issue that Will bear
unoE them for some years
They are to decide whether tho
desire their assessments increased,
their license taxes raised, and the
general expenses resting upon them
made heavier annually for some in
definite period.
That is the real issue that confronta
every man when he goes to the polls;
that is the issue he assists in deciding
when he drop his ballot in the box.
The city government is heavily in
debt at this time 1t has large float
iRg debt which it is apparently una
BILE tc pay. At least it has done moth
ing toward paying it.
Notes issued by the city year or
two ago remain unpaid. All that has
| been done with them has been to add
the interest on at stated periods and
issue new notes.
That is an incontrovertible fact.
Bills that have been passed for
payment aggregating several thous-
and dollars, have not been paid.
Unable to get their money from the
city, the holders of such bills have
pawned them, that is, they have gone
to the banks and borrowed money on
the city bills.
When these bills viii be paid does
not appear. anymore than when It
will be possible for the city to pay
the notes it has issued.
lit is not pleasant to dilate upon
these facts, yet it is we'll that citizens,
especially taxpayers and voters should
know the facts. 1t is not good policy
to conceal from the shareholders in
the municipal government the condi-
ton in which it now is.
Yet, in the face of these facts, which
lcannot be disputed, and in the face OF
the fact that for political purposes the
tax rate has been lowered, even
though the city's debts remain un'
paid, it is proposed to erect a light
ing plant the cost of which is indef-
mite, which may run far above $25,-
600 before it is made a working plant
Can the men who have permitted
the city to get into its present en-
Ibarassing financial position be safely
permitted to embark in the expert
ment of building a lighting plant with
no funds in the treasury, and with
no hope of securing any from bonds
with no alternative except to raise the
money by additional burdens upon tn
taxpayers, the owners of real estate
and the men who do the business OF
the city?
Our business men labor under heavy
burdens already. Their assessments
on their stocks of goods are heavy
Their specific taxes are heavy. Every
way they turn they find city tax con-
fronting them. Do they want their
burdens doubled in order that this
fanatical, one might venture to call
it, insistence on a lighting plant run
! by the city shall be carried through
Let us all look at the matter sanely
This is not the time for vehement
oratory, for widespread denunciation
or for careless claims. This is tbs
time for a careful consideration Ct
the facts as they really exist, for a
calm review of them, for a study oil
the existing state of affairs and the
condition to which we are plunglng
If you are a business man, Mr.
Reader, and have no objection to your
taxes increased, have no objection to
taxes being increased have nc
objection to much heavier
assessment of yorr stock, have
no objection to your specific
license taxes being doubled, then
by all means, vote for lighting plant
if you think it will serve any useful
end
If you are a property owner, anc
believe that out of your rents you
can we'll afford to pay into the city
treasury a considerably larger tax, OIL
: that on the home in which you live
: you can afford to put the heavier bur
den resulting from an increased as
sessment, then 10y all means, if you
believe a municipal lighting plant will
pay the city and be of benefit to the
citizens, vote that way.
But if you decide that it is not tC
your interest to have your taxes rails
ed for many years to come, that 1t Is
not to your interest to have the city
: plunged further into indebtedness tc
carry through this idea of a munich
Ipally-owned plant, that your good
judgment tells you it would be better
for Americas if the city government
made an effort to pay it's existing debts
without mourning new ones, and that
the prosperity of the city would be
added to by lessened, instead of heav-
Ter, burdens on its property-owners
and business men, then you will vote
accordingly. MERCHANT.
Most Folks