Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-01
REPORT To MUNICIPAL RESEARCH
Glib SHOWS FRONTAGE. need

roo mile. We can all see the maSnl-
tnre OF the problem that confronts
tie supervisors.
To take a. concrete example: A re-
liable estimate for paving Beretania
street from Punchbowl street to the
top Of the hill at Kaimuki. places the
cost at between $4,000 and $4,000.
end this is only one OF the main
streets needing permanent pavement.
To get back to our supervisors for
a moment, the question might proper
" be asked: why is it that our
roads arr in such depIorable condi-
ton at the present time, if. as claim
"a. the waste due to politics is a
small matter when considering the
larger remedy" why has not our
present board OF supervisors, profit
ing by the mistakes OF their predeCeS-
sors. been able to give us at least as
good roads as former boards" The
answer in a word is-the automobile.
Since the advent OF the automobile
and auto truck. ordinary. macadam:
lied roads have proven entirely mad
eEuate to stand the traffic. The pres
ent board OF supervisors are unfor-
tunate in that they are in office when
this condition has become acute and
remedy is demanded. So far as we
can learn, the present board Of su-
pervisors has made progress over
former boards in it's road department.
Wherever possible. auto trucks have
replaced hauling by animals. Only a
working force of animals consistent
with the work in hand is owned by
the county, it having been found
cheaper to hire when the work de-
mands it rather than iced idle stock.
Savings in the mechanical and repair
departments have also been accomp-
lished. In fact, the present condition
of the roads is natural situation. 1T
is apparent from the foregoing facts,
that the best plan of handling the
funds at the disposal of the road de-
partnent is the establishment of an
intelligent system of maintenance
and that the supervisors fully realize
this is evidenced by Their recent &C
tons in devoting all the funds avail.
able to that purpose.
Now there is only one remedy for
all this-and that is money-and lots
of it, If you want roads, you must
supply the money, and II is up to you
to say how.
Ways Of Doing It.
No less an authority on road build
ing than Mr.. H. X. Bishop, in an ad-
dress before the second annual civic
conference held in September, 1913
pointed out seven methods of financ-
ing road building, as follows:
/. Statute labor.
2. Private subscriptions.
3. Automobile tax.
4. Direct taxation.
5. Assessment of abutting prop
erty.
6. bond issues. :.
t. State aid. ~ ,-ps,zs --s, r. ~
" In considering these methods, let
US proceed by process of elimination.
No. statute labor. Obsolete.
Nos, 2 and 3-Private subscriptions
and automobile tax. Totally made
qGate to the matter in hand
Nos. 4, 5 and 6-Direc, taxation, as
sessment of abutting property, bond
issues. All of these surely worthy of
consideration.
No. State aid. Out of the ques-
ton here.
Let us consider first the issuing of
bonds. This method has the advan
tage of making available any part or
the entire amount needed to put our
roads in proper condition and the
building of new ones. advocates Of
this method will say that it will en-
able us to enjoy our roads while We
are paying for them. Opponents to
this method will point out that it i'm
den of paying for our enjoyment. AS
far as our problem is concerned, your
committee is in doubt whether the
county could raise funds for road
work before submitting 1t to a vote
of the people and then to the next
legislature.
Direct taxation. This is essentially
the SLOW and sure process where
there is not an emergency call for
a great amount of work to be done
as speedily as possible and in large
and wealthy communities where
slight raise in the taxation rate. raises
a big amount of revenuc and is there
fore not felt in any great measure by
the individual In view of the amount
of direct taxation so-ca;;2d We now
pay for various purposes. your COM
mittee does not feel that 1t can recon-
mend this course.
The Frontage Tax Plan.
We now come to the only remain
ing method-that OF assessment
against abutting property or the So
called frontage tax method OF raising
revenue.
This method appeals to your COM
mittee for several reasons first and
foremost, there is g law already en-
acted which makes it possible for the
board of supervisors to take advan-
tage of this method of raising revenue
Immediately 1t furnished ve::i.,c
whereby The citizen wr0 . enthu5lds-
ties for good roads can get it indiviuL-
any and help solve this pre- blem by
paying fer the road put in front of his
property. This law also provides "a