Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-01
City Council Sitting as a
Board of Equalization
( Did Not Look With Favor
on Public Subscription.
REFERRED TO AS
TEMPORARY RELIEF
Resolution Adopted Turn
ing Down Plan; Mayor
and Council Voted No on
the Proposition.

AuNCA oO oSSAOA "o0 IohOA ~ sAAS
pIcaty council acting as board of re-
lhview this morning to the plan of a
Rsnumber of Ottumwa citizens to donate
iuthe sum of $4,000 in 1914 and the same
amount in 1915 to take the place of the
\ increases in taxes made by the board
nSThe council by three Affirmative votes
ltpassed' a resolution rejecting the bond
4 1onered yesterday, stating as grounds
,Tfor the action that "the assessment
L i1should be raised and the levies reduc-
iced and accepting the proposition men
hf toned would be only temporary relief" ;"
v The resolution as passed by the
4 board of review is as follows:
Whereas, at meeting of the city
council sitting as a board of review on
Z April 20, 1913, petition signed by q
~ number of property owners, request
4 ing the city Of Ottumwa to accept q
ID certain amount of money in lieu Of
maintaining the raise in assessment as
IN made by said board and requesting
~ that the assessment be left as made
Y by the assessor, and
Whereas, said property owners pre-
sented bond signed by (here liz set
elIt sEaMes of persons who signed
bona) secured to the city OF Ottumwa,
Iowa, the payment Of 5000 on or be-
fore the first day Of April, 1914. and
the further payment OF the sum OF
$4,000 on or before the first day Of
April, 1915 and,
mn Whereas, in the judgment of the
rd3oard Of review the raises made in
sykssessments by said board are just and
Equitable, and,
" Whereas, the said board of review
h feel that the assessment should be
Y raised and the levies reduced, as to
istrscept the proposition mentioned
20 ohve, would be only temporary relief
se feel that the property tax should
\ SUFFICIENT to run the city without
Y-Ating for lost revenue to return.
u :Aterefore, be it resolved, by the
Iowa. sitting as board OF review that
the petition and bond be and the same
are hereby rejected.
Urges Board to Accept.
The plan of the committee OF citi-
tens was presented to the board of re-
view yesterday afternoon by Attorneys
]. ]. Smith, John w. Lewis and Will
liam McNett Others who spoke In be-
half Of the bond and subscription were
j. w. Garner, c.. o. Taylor, w. w. Cory
and H. l.. Edmunds. II
J. ]. Smith urged that the board ac-
cept the bond made up by the signers
on the petition. In referring to the
valuations which were increased by
the board, Mr.. Smith said that one
particular class was hit and he thought
that the board would act very wisely
by accepting the money offered.
j. w. Garner stated that up to pres
ent time $3.50 had been pledged and
he felt confident that more could be
raised If necessary. Il am certain that
ut least $4,000 can be secured said
Mr.. Garner.
William McNett in referring to the
matter said: II realize that the tax
question is a hard problem for any
council. We must all pay our just
taxes and | believe that all here are
Of the same spirit as am regarding
the matter. In every place where the
tax question is brought up there is
considerable trouble Every place has
their different trouble I believe the
trouble here in Ottumwa is legal. The
main objection that find with raising
our taxes here is the fact that the
county and state both flourish from
what we pay into the city treasury"
Mr.. McNett in closing told the board
that the city would net as much from
the popular subscription as they would
from the assessments which were
raised. He also stated that in many
cases he thought the increase far too
high, saying. II know Of property that
could not be sold for what you have
assessed it"
In recommending that the board &C.
cept the pledged money John Lewis
said: I'VE are bringing you more
money by $1,000 than you would make
out of the increased assessments. Why
not then accept this money? Is there
any legal difficulties why this money
can not be accepted?
"We will do all the collecting Of the
pledged money and the city will not
have to secure the services Of a col
lecting agency. We will do everything
and relieve the officials Of all obliga-
tions. It's up to you, gentlemen of the
council, and we want your careful con-
sideration on the matter Your action
tafsA t-E (yontiniiod on Pa ne o. e.sss8t.s5t