The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1911-12-08

the wish and great desire of the lar.
gcst portion OF our residents within
the city who live and boost for Nor.
folk whenever opportunity is present.
ed.
The fact that the boilers i'm present
water station are condemned and at
least one of the large pumps is in a
! bad condition, makes it necessary that
| from $4,000 to 100000 of the bond
issue be used for new improved boil.
ers and pump, rcmodeling of building,
/ so it may be useful for both water
and light purposes requires another
! large amount, leaving the remainder
/ of bond issue to be used for wiring
and for posts, etc. Those condemned
/ boilers at station house now are used
at great peril and risk and may break
down at any time, leaving the city
without water and fire protection and
should this calamity happen, immedi.
ately a call to vote such amount in
bonds, needed to replace that broken
and condemned machinery would be.
come Imperative and even in case no
such accident does happen the boilers
being condemned as unsafe, it be.
comes absolutely our duty to see to
it that new boilers are installed in
place of the defective ones, this can
only be done by voting bonds for that
purpose.
Arguments are used by those Op-
posing this bond issue that taxes are
" Nj Int
are unduly trying to influence the
timid voter
What are the facts and conditions
in regard to taxes for 1911, as com
pared with previous year?
We submit here the levies for taxes
as made for year 1910 and the year
1911, for comparison:
Levy in full for 1910 County and
state $l.75; Norfolk city $3.50; school
and school bond, $275.
Levy in full for 19l1-County and
state $1.S7; Norfolk city $40; school
and school bond $500.
TotaI-1910, 5000; 1911, $11.17; in
crease, $2.17.
These totals are for each 500 as
sessed showing an increase in city
tax of 80 cents for every 500 as re-
turned by the assessor TO the county
Who is to blame for this 80 cents
increase of city taxes? In the spring
1911, in spite of increase in popula-
ton during the year past, suddenly
Norfolk became poorer to the extent
of something like $4,000. the total as.
sessment for year 1871 had dropped
that much below the year 1910 which
fact is shown by the tax records Of
the county, this compelled the city
council to increase the 1911 tax levy
over 1910 to 80 cents for every 800
of taXation-s it not you, Mr. Tax
dOdger, who should shoulder the
blame of higher taxes rather than to
shift it on the city council?
What effect will this $75 bond
issue have in regard to raising taxes? |
Norfolk's assessed valuation is some
thing above S65O,000. Take off $f5 900 |
for water improvements and figure |
100000 for light plants only.
Voting the bonds only interest , per
cent on 100000 will be required for
first ten years.
. per cent interest ............ So 600 |
Add to this engineers salary. 600
Add to this additional coal and
salary ..........,...... ZOO |
TO be raised by taxes approx
HaCely ............ q, 800 |
Or rate of 100 cents on a 500 as
'essed. Our present expenditures for
lights are something like $1,000 a
year, or a rate of SO cents on 500.
Deduct SO cents of this levy which is
Used for light purposes now and 2
Inference of 81 cents per 500 will be
needed by taxation to enable us to
electric lights and illuminate the en-
ire city with about 1855 cluster street
lights and some $50 cluster lights on
Norfolk avenue, besides free lights for
'ity public buildings. such as city hall,
public schools, Y. NJ. c. A. and others.
t can reasonably be expected that in
| few years the lighting plant will
rom commercial lighting produce suf-
1cient revenue for the city to dis
ard the levy of "a cents altogether
md instead of a revenue consumer
will become revenue producer.
Another argument is brought up
hat the credit of the city should not
Re exhausted, so it may be needed
or intersection paving bond purposes.
Dhe water and light bonds are sep
rate proposition and do not in the
east conflict with any bonds that in
uture may be needed for paving pur-
'oses. Have the progressive citi-
ems of Norfolk ever failed to re-
pond Willingly and cheerfully to
worthy enterprise of permanent i'm
rovement of city or schools? When.
yer the time is at hand that inter
ection paving bonds will be needed
ur citizens can be depended on to
ONE to the front in a true western
pirit of progressiveness for our city.
Selfish interests will fight progress
f community, use misleading state.
lents to influence the voter. Norfolk
5 not an exception, heed them not, .
)ok towards your own interests for ,
he good of the city.
Imaginary grievances against mayor :