The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-04-18
MUST FIND WAYS AND MEANS

The members of the city council
have been busy all week, and will be
busy some of next week, sitting as
board of equalization. They hope to
make the system of taxation more
equabIe, so that it will bear lighter
on the entire city, as well as bring
In more money. They are also pre-
pairing the ground for the submits
sion to the taxpayers of PROPOSE
ton to bond the city for needed i'm
provements.
The Improvements we are obliged
to have, or go out of business as a
city.
A sewerage system We are obliged
to have at once. We are following
the present method only on suffer
ance. It is inadequate and unsani-
tary.
The city water plant is now barely
able to meet the city needs of the
people The city is rapidly growing,
and the water supply can't stand
still.
BY very good management, the
electric plant is meeting the demands
upon it. Without improvement, it
can't possibly meet any more. Even
now, there is no margin for emerg-
encies, and people want more lights
and machines installed every day, to
say nothing of the streets not being
as well lit as they should.
Better streets we need greatly. 1t
takes nearly all the funds we have
now to keep our by no means per-
feet streets in repair, and extend
them little at time-hardly as
fast as the travelled sections length
en-
Also, it would be very nice to
have a new city hall and fire station
with the library on the city's new
lot Not as necessary as the other
Improvements, but still necessary
as well as nice.
AS the Star has said before, 8
bond issue properly handled would
not only give us all these necessar,
Improvements. 1t would put 81
much money in circulation arount
here and increase business as we'll al
health, safety and convenience, 81
that nobody would feel the increas
ed taxation.
A bond issue would be a burden
Tt would also increase THE strength
to carry the burden. A strong NAL
or a strong city can walk and pros
per with load that a weak one can
not lift It has always been the ina
preston that Ocala is little giant
and in time and growth will be
great one.
There seems no difference of opin
ion about the sewerage and waite
plant To put in the one, to rebuilt
or largely increase the other, is tn
thing to do at once.
As for the electric plant, tn
members of the council are consid
ering whether to greatly add to tn
present plant or build a new one
One or the other must be done insid
the next twelve months.
This has brought up the proposi
tion which has caused the council t
announce that it will receive bid
from private parties to supply cul
rent to the city. 1t is understoo
that at least two parties or firm
claim that they can furnish currer
cheaper than the city is furnishing
now. These parties will probabl
submit their bids at the next NEE
ing OF the council.
1t is perfectly proper for th
council to consider these bids.
Some members of the council sa.
and with reason, that If they ca
make a contract with a private fir
70 supply current at lower rat
that will obviate the necessity {
the city spending from $4,000
100000 at once for additions to th
plant, or building new one. Wit
everything coming in on US at one
sewerage, water, electricit,
10 BE S.