The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-10-23
THE PUNCHED BOND ORDINANCE
To the Self Thinking Voters of ocala:

What | may say In this article is
confined exclusively to the bond cleo
ZION to be held on October 9th. as
ali objections urged do not apply to
the bond election to be held on the
following day.
The bunch bond ordinance provides
for lump issue of $3O5,OOO, to be
applied as follows: Sewers $4,000;
having and improving streets, $780,
900; public building and parks, $780,
600: improving water works and con-
structing ice plant, $4,000.
The principal reasons which will
induce me to vote against this pro-
posed bond issue, are as follows:
First: The voter is allowed no dis
cretion; he must take all of the pro-
posed Improvements or nothing. If
he favors sewerage and opposes the
municipal ice plant, or either of the.
other projects, he is denied the priv
ilege of expressing a desire for one
or more, and his opposition to the
other. The ordinance could have
been easily framed so as to have per-
mitted a vote at the same election,
and without additional expense, on
each proposition separately, and thus
allow each project to stand or f.
when measured by it's own merits
For some unexplained reason this
course was not pursued, although the
matter was specifically called to the
attention of the law-making body of
the city, and the correction, if de-
sired, could have been easily made.
In effect, the reply to the voters
demand for sewerage is: "You shall
not have it, unless you also take
public buildings and parks at the cost
Of $4,000, and the other improve
mehts we have rendered you under
the ordinance"
To the demand for an extension
and improvement of the water works
system, the answer in effect is: 1--WE
refuse to give yon any relief in that
direction unless you also take
municipal Ice plant at the cost of con-
struction, within the limit of $4,000,
and all the other projects contemplate
ed under the ordinance"
And so 1t is as to each project, the
voter must take all or nothing.
Second: l am a firm believer in an
old time doctrine that the city-ex-
cept In those matters relating to pub
lie utilities-should never engage in
Industrial enterprises requiring no
franchise for the city, and which are
open to the individual citizen. On
the contrary, every reasonable en-
couragement should be offered, and
extended to induce the individual citi-
zen, in a corporate capacity or other
wise, to locate with us and establish
manufacturing or other industrial en-
terprises in our midst, thereby bring
ing new capital, providing additional
employment, and adding greatly to
the taxable values Of the city. For
tunately this policy of encouragement
mas already secured for us a full,
complete and adequate ice plant,
under individual ownership, now in
active operation, rendering efficient
and adequate service to the public at
moderate and reasonable prices when
compared with prices prevailing in
near or contiguous territory.
Entirely regardless of the question
OF policy, no one, so far as / have
heard. has yet pointed out any me-
cessity whatever for the expenditure
ol thousands of dollars in the con-
struction of an additional or munich
pal Ice plant. Yet the voter who con-
scientiously opposes this, is criti-
cised and heralded as a pessimist-a
ieactionary-(whatever that term
may mean), an Observation-Disclosures an
enemy to the city's progress and de-
selopment.
VIII some progressive, optimistic
ooomer, please give some good SUBJ
s'antlal reason why none of these
'ontemplated Improvements shall be
made unless the city goes into the ice
BUSINESS in competition with the in
ulsioual citizen? Are these public
improvements of so little Importance,
anu SO little needed, that they can be
liaue TO depend upon whether or not
'ue city will go into the ice business?
So they can we'll await a more OF
poteune time. Entirely aside from
sus legal questions presented, this
feature of the ordinance, if standing
a'0ne' would induce me to vote
asalnst the lump bond issue. AS l
rev L matter of principle in which
\ 4 holt