Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1911-05-25

/ TONED merely TO snow tnat We arc hol
yet strong enough to take the plunge
with its attendant risks. at least not
without Il glance ahead. Under the cash
value plan of assessment the proposed
district will amount to at least 50, OOO, 600.
The promoters admit this. The bill that
was passed in the way mentioned permits
the Highway Board to issue bonds up to
the amount OF 1850 of the assessed val
uation, and to say the least, is extremely
hazy and ambiguous in that section
granting such power The brake on any
subtraction the board may take is very
weak; possibly it is one OF those defect
i've parts that cannot be replaced.
These figures that are given are placed
at the limit insofar as the bill can be
tween the minimum and the maximum
levying power, and the maximum is
given for the simple reason that ii 80
men were to form a company their pro-
spectus in every instance would show the
greatest expense anticipated. And by
the same token, with S30O,0OO in the
treasury, they would more than likely
be very cautious as to RELOCATING an APP
parently limtless power for spending it.
Only in this company are more than 90
stockholders.
The Highway Board may levy max
imum of Sl.OO per hundred on all prop
erty Cincluding municipaD within its
boundaries, for general road purposes.
Also, it may levy the sum of 20 cents on
every hundred for bridge purposes. In
addition it can levy a special tax OF Sl.OO
for general road purposes. For organiza-
ton and other requirements the board
may, in any year, before making the
: levy, incur indebtedness to the amount
of y OF lf6 OF the total assessed valuation
which, of course, is to be deducted or al
: lowed for when levy period rolls around.
The bill does not state it in every day
English, but with the latitude allowed the
: board could run any Indebtedness, war
rant or otherwise, and then wipe it out
by issuing refunding bonds, and on re-
funding bonds the vote of the people i:
not necessary. In district of the sizt
proposed how far would the income go il
spread at least over $50 miles OF road:
D and bridges? And don't forget we ar,
&, bound to pay our share of any debt W,
may have helped the county create hith
erto. On medium levy for general pur
poses, fixed between the minimum of tel
4 and the maximum of 100 cents per 500
say 60 cents, the resulting fund would bt
E $4,000. Cost of machinery and equip
u ment aside, take out OF this the expenses
: for salaries OF secretary, treasurer, exper
K overseer and several deputies, attorney
fees, ETC., and is it likely as low levy al
60 cents will be applied? 1t is very tru'
S the same levying power to use, but nevel
9 used, now lies in the county, but what o
: putting the same levy on one-tenth o
the tillable county as is now put on TIN
- whole? Three members constitute tn,
- board. Is it fair to 50 suddenly place
, such responsibility on three men wh'
serve four years with anly Legitimate
= expense allowance? Andagain, there i
), no living man who can today tell to ;
u certainty what will be the cost OF build
- ing good roads in our soil. Back cas-
"they say $1,000 per mile. Let's eat
!. a piece of that guess-cake. In the Je
- rome District that means $3.50, 600 need
- ed at the lowest calculation. How abou
the Wood River road north OF Shoshone
SO far ! y miles are partly finished at
cost of 100000; this is an exceptiona
D." stretch OF highway but it is not out o
bounds to base calculation on. 1t
= true that our valuation will increase witt
the years, but how about our other bond
= ed Indebtedness for schools and othe
=" public necessities? What ii some neigh
Dor goes into such district? Becaus
one family is going beyond its mean
the family next door is not compelled t
go Sin the hole" to keep up the sam
front. On the contrary let us profit b
watching their progress, at the same tim
" wishing them well. What is raised thi
year we can haul on the roads that W
have In the meantime why not appoin
a committee of interested taxpayers to g
y into the matter deeply, watch what otl
ers have done, get some statistics togetf
err, count the cost to as near nicely a
possible, and then like one big business
- like corporation get together and devils
ways and means for starting in bushes
, for ourselves on safe, sound, and thol
=, oughly thought out plan.
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