Putnam patriot., 1913-09-26
PAY FOR SEWERS
General Taxation Favored by Tax Payers
Couacil Adopts Minority Report

There was special meeting of the common council Tuesday evening for the purpose of giving the taxpayers an opportunity to object to both or either of the plans submitted for the purpose of raising the necessary money to pay for the newly installed system of sew CTS. The meeting was opened in the council chamber but immediately ad iourned to the large hall below where some hundred or more citizens had as. sembled.
 The majority report embraced plan to raise 70 percent of the amount by general taxation and the balance by an assessment on the abutters based on lineal frontage and area besides a rental of B for each tenement. The minority report was in favor of raising the whole amount, which is sl23,3 ,32S.- Sl, by general taxation.
 Dr. LaRue, who submitted the mi nority report, delivered prepared speech in favor of the general taxation plaml 1t was in substance to the eff feet that the matter of connecting with the sewer was compulsory and many who did not want the sewer were obliged to use it. The expense of con- meeting and the removal of outhouses was a heavy burden on many of the small property holders and he thought that when they had done this they had done their part. He said the poor people could not stand the burden that would be imposed by the majority re- port, which, he said, was similar to the one rejected by the people some time ago. He thought the general taxation plan the easiest, safest, most equitable and just.
 Alderman Johnson for the majority report thought it unfair that people who received no direct benefit from the sewers should pay as much as those directly benefited. Out of some fifteen or twenty cities in the state it was found that not one had adopted the general taxation plan for the whole amount. The only place found where this had been done was North Adams, Mass, and there they charged the abutter s15 for connecting. He said the committee had given the matter much careful consideration and be- lieved the majority report was the most just and equitable that could be suggested for the greatest number of citizens
 Several present expressed themselves in very few words. Ten favored the minority plan and one the majority plan. A few others apparently favor ed the majority plan with modifica- tions believing that while the abutters should pay more than those who could not use the sewer yet they thought perhaps the amount so charged against them in the majority report should be reduced There was but small repre- sentation of large property holders present, nor did those living in the city but beyond the limits of the sewer system take enough interest in the matter to protest against being taxed for an indirect benefit. This raised the assumption that they were satisfied to be taxed for the improvement in a general way.
 After the public meeting the council again went into session in their cham Der. There was more discussion along the same lines and it appeared that some who had favored the majority re- port, while they had not changed their views, felt that as the pubic meeting expressed the opinion that the minority report was the best that it was their duty to give the people what they wanted. It was voted to take a vote by ballot to see if the coun- cil would vote to accept the minority report. Alderman Johnson thought the vote should be an open one. The motion as put prevailed. There were eight votes cast, five votes for accept ing the minority report and three against, so that the general taxation plan now stands adopted.
 It is stated that the plan adopted means tax of three mills for perioo of twenty-three years. The committee has spent much time and thought on the matter and their work has been well done. Every citizen must realize that the matter as far as the committee was concerned was an impersonal one and they performed a public dutY which is deserving of appreciation.