Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-11
Candidate for Mayor Writes
Article Setting Forth Prin-
CipIes and Certain Results

plIcatIon Of the frontaQe-tax syStem
to the situation in Honolulu, strong
" urging the system be put into full
operation.
The provision of revenue for the
construction OF government roads ia
this city is one OF The most impor-
tant problems before us today. OuT
present roads are such that they re.
Qrire an enormous amount OF mOney
for maintenance and until they are re-
placed with permanent payementS
this department Of the county will not
be run economically The eXpeudi-
lures OF the present board OF super
visOrS for the last IS months for the
building and extending of main arter-
les, such as the belt road, Pail road
Puuloa, MCanalua road. a-Waianae
road, Wahiawa spur road and others,
amounts 10 approximately $50, 000. out
side OF general maintenance. TO fur
Their extend the belt road and improve
the Pail road and other main arteries
will require during the next Is months
sum of money at least as great
Our present roads must be main
economically will require the eXpen-
diture of the balance of available re-
venue with the exception of eighty or
ninety thousand dollars, which sum
can and should De applied towards the
building of permanent payements.
This amount is available, from the
statement of expenditures of the pre-
sent board, and is money which was
actually expended for permanent work
on city streets. BY city streets, ]
mean also streets in the districts OF
Nuuanu, Kalihi, ManOa and Kaimnki,
measuring approximately 1926 nt IS
of roadway.
What Sum Would Do.
The expenditure Of eighty or ninety
thousands dollars On one section of,
or on one particular street. would make
quite a showing, or in other words
this amount would build a three or
four-mile stretch of roadway. !
But, like formerly, at present and
in future, the distribution OF a like
sum in those localities where in the ,
judgment OF the board of supervisors |,
the improvements are absolutely ne.
cessaTy or expended by a board in 4,
fluenced politically, eighty or ninety
thousand dollars would not come any
where near helping in reducing the
cost of maintenance. BY this | mean !
that the cost of maintenance on our |
present roads increases rapidly anu !
three or four miles of permanent |
roads every two years" is not nor J.
will not be sufficient to replace worn
roads. To save maintenance cost.
reconstruction OF roads should be per-
We must, and very soon, find some
solution of the road question, some so
luton that will replace our present
roads with permanent roads; that
will put the county in a position where
the revenue for road purposes win be
for maintenance of perma-
nent roads and not for the purpose OF !
building and rebuilding temporary
roads, trying to satisfy everybody,
but as matter of fact satisfying no
one, and at the same time spending
the taxpayers money. =, -
General Taxing Unwise.
i do not believe it possible on &C
count of the amount of bonds this
is already burdened with to
raise funds by general bond issue
for road building purposes, nor do
believe the taxpayer is willing to be-
assessed double the amount of taxes
be is now paying, setting aside the
increase Of funds thus secured for the
building of permanent roads, giving
to the individual or section with the
most pull the use and benefit of
your money. ~ f.. F..
have pledged myself to abide by
the decision of the Republican plat
form committee. However I feel that
should express myself in regard to
this question, realizing that the best
interest of the general taxpayer and
the fairest assessment for road pur.
poses is by the operation of the front.
age law, with the county paying its
share for the use and benefit the gen
3ral public will receive from such i'm.
frontage Law No Hardship.
Will the frontage law work hard
ship on the small holder or. the poor.
er districts? believe not.
Section of Act 131. plainly states:
"lf the owners Of SIS per cent of the
area to be assessed for such improve
nents at hearing prior thereto filed
With the Supervisors a written pro.
est duly acknowledged by such own.
RS against the making OF such i'm.
the proceedings shall not
De renewed within six months there
liter"
II a person owns property in an
lrea where 60 per cent of the proper
y owners petition the supervisors for
permanent road, Section of Act
81. the cost of such Improvement .
lnder the ten-year bond issue, using :
my of the patented wearing surface
authorities do not recommend float
ltion of bonds for aSphalt-macadam ,
Estimating the cost from $3.50 to !
$3.50 per square yard. interest on
bonds per cent and per cent. using /