The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-10-27

| This enormous sum that the Spenders
instead of the Germans, are seeking
to levy upon us aggregates more than
100000 and is divided as follows:
mill Road Levy for yrs. 100000
County Fair Grounds ...... 10000
City Hall 10000
City Light Plant ...... $4,000
Interest much more than. ... $4,000
Total amount that we will be
This enormous sum will increase our
taxes in Mt. Vernon more than 81 per
cent.
i You are asked to fetter these bonds
ballots will be handed to you, one of
which has upon it two mill road levy
for 5 years and $4,000 for county
fair grounds. The other has upon it
$4,000 for city hall and $4,000 for a
municipal light plant.
We will do we'll to carefully examine
these matters before voting in the af-
firmative. No sane man places a mort
gage upon his home without some good
purpose in view
This tax applies to every person in
Mt. Vernon whether we own any prop
erty or not. Every dollar that you pay
out for food, clothes and rent bears
upon it some share of the taxes. Every
person is taxpayer direct or indirect.
Higher taxes mean higher cost of liv-
ing Let us first carefully examine the
city hall proposition.
We are asked to issue $4,000 for a
new city hall. Do we need such a
building? As nearly as / can under
stand, we are to have a grand opera
house in this building and offices for
the city officials. Now city as large
as Columbus can hardly support two
first class theaters. The Southern is
devoted to moving pictures great part
of the time. 1t will also be we'll to re-
member that Mt. Vernon never was a
SOOu tnGdCcf lOWU. SuOWS
being the best hit in our town.
OF course it would be all very well
ensconced in real mahogany chairs
with rich leather upholstering; with
carpet, the nap of which was SO deep
that you would sink in to your ankles
with little cherubs flying around on the
ceiling, painted by the hand of some
Michael Angelo. Who would not feel
fiattered to hold public Office amid such
magnificent surroundings. There would
be a great demand for city offices if
this measure carries. Can we afford
it though? We will have to plaster
our property for one one hundredth of
it's value if we vote for this measure.
1t will add .112 mills to our yearly tax
es. 1t is also we'll to remember that
SO beautiful structure is rarely fin
ished within the appropriation, and it
is not unlikely that you will be asked
for further money to complete this
building. So large building will re-
quire considerable sum for upkeep,
heat, light, janitors, etc. Can we af'
ford it?
We should now give a little atten
ton to the municipal light plant which
calls for $4,000 worth of bonds. We
are asked to mortgage our homes III
order to engage in this new project for
one sixty-sixth of their value. In ad
vance, will say that will be obliged
to use plain Omitted States" and dol
lars and cents in giving my figures, not
being posted enough in the electrical
business to use the vernacular so deal
to the heart of the electrician. We
will enumerate the items of expense
First, we will have 6 per cent on 500,
900 or $4,000. Next we will have the
item of depreciation 10 per cent or
$50. 1000 or So 900. This is what mosi
} electrical companies figure. Higf
,,eed engines and dynamoes wear ou'
quickly and overhead wires and poles
; soon depreciate in value. While street
lights new today are obsolete in few
years, How long have our present
street lights been in service? Less
than 10 years / think, and 1t is pro
posed to replace them. Now we have
the argument advanced that 1t will re
auire no fuel to produce this hght
Don't be taken in by any such argu
: ments. Can a man lift himself by the
boot straps? Get this. The manufac
ture of electricity is merely the trans
formation of the latent energy OF Goa
or gas into light and heat. Perhaps the
gentlemen who advance the argument
that it will cost nothing to run this
plant expect to run it with a keelel
motor starting it with the charm O
their arguments and keeping 1t run
ming with the music of their voices
: Let us put down $500 per year for this
item. which is one half of the cost fol