The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-06-22
THE MENA TO HOT
SPRINGS HIGHWAY
Continued From Second page.)

at $1,000 his annual tax for the
building and upkeeping of this road
for the first twenty years would
be only So, while today he is paying
S3 road tax on the same property if
he is paying any road tax at all.
After 20 years his tax would only
be 70 cents per year on the same
valuation.
But let's go little further and
see what it would all amount to
under this bill.
The total amount of tax for the
first five years would be $4,000 per
year. OF this amount the city of
Hot Springs would pay $4,000 and
the city of Mena and the other
towns along the road would pay
$1,000, and the land owners between
Mena and Hot Springs, it being so
miles, would pay $1,000 Now all
land for three miles on each side of
the highway would be taxed. This
then would make a strip six miles
wide by 80 miles long, or a total
of 450 square miles; or, in other
words, $50 sections. Divide this
into quarter sections and you have
1 ,920 quarter sections of land in
this territory on which there would
be a tax of $4,000 on the whole, or
just a little more than a dollar per
year on each quarter section for
the first five years. Now this bill
provides that one fourth Of the
bonds shall be paid and retired
every five years, and the tax re-
duced accordingly, so after the
first five years the tax would be
reduced so as to raise 1920 less and
after the first ten years the tax
would be reduced so as to raise
50, 400 less, and after fifteen years
| it would be reduced so as to raise
$4,000 less, and after twenty years,
at which time the bonds are to be
paid and retired, the tax will be re-
duced TO u of a min, which will
continue and keep up the road.
This n Of a mill would amount to
Sc. 900 on the whole road, of which
the city of Hot Springs would pay
$500, Mena and the other towns
5000 and the land owners between
Mena and Hot Springs would pay
5000. This would be tax OF an
average of little more than SO
cents for each quarter section OF
land in this district.
I favored this proposition, for with
1.-THE agreement that the S6,000.000
of property in Hot Springs and the
property in Mena and the other
towns would leave the land owners
along the route to pay only one
eighth of the tax to build the high
way, so I certainly thought it a
good thing. !.
AS to the other items in Mr.. Bates
letter, as to why the bill was not
introduced until late IN the 5es-
sion. The reason was that Senator
Hamp Williams of Hot Springs and
myself planned the bill early in the
session, but I knew that if the road
ihad to be built out of Che taxes Of
the farmer it would not be done,
because the tax would be too heavy,
SO | proposed to Senator Williams
that he get the city Of Hot Springs
to let all its property, which
amounted to S6,000,000, be assessed
and taxed to help build this road.
This matter was worked on all win
ter, and I gave up hope of Hot
Springs agreeing to it, but finally
Senator Williams, on returning
from home one Monday morning,
| Informed me that Hot Springs had
agreed to the proposition and for
line to write the bill and introduce
Lit at once. This is why it was so
Hate in being introduced, simply
waiting for Hot Springs to agree to
nav $4,000 Of the tax each year,
(which amounted to six times as
much as the land owners along the
lime would have to pay.
AS to the people having a voice
lin the matter, on account of the
Initiative and referendum il would
lhave to be endorsed by the people
or they would have to consent to
lit before it would take effect.
In regard to the bonds being based
lon the lands, or would the lands be
Irresponsible for them? Not at all,
only as far as the tax was con-
Icerned the tax levy of two mills
would be pledged to redeem the
bonds. The land, nor any part
would not be responsible, other
THAN this. As to the difference in
the the assessment in he tnwns and the
Hand along the route, it was agreed
THAT the highway would not in any
way increase the value of the prop
erty in the cities and towns Of Mena
and Hot Springs. therefore it would
save money and time to simply
take the assessment of the county
assessor for the assessment in the
Towns as stated. II cannot be doubt
led that the land Immediately alone
1.-The highway would be worth more
| than the land two or three miles
| away. and that being the case. The
Hand adjoining the highway would
The assessed at little more than thu
| land at a distance. hence the as,
sesmenf Of the county assessor
leould not be taken on this.
| In conclusion. let me say that M
lonly desire had in writing tn
hin was to assist in developing TN
country by getting a permanen
highway that would bring the farm
Ter nearer to the market Tor NJ