Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-28

this meeting that the further expendi
ture Of funds for opening new reads
and improving existing roads, by the
board of supervisors. be made under
the provisions CT Acts 81 and 131
Laws Of 1913; and be Il further
Resolved, That II is the sense OF
this meeting that the board Of super
yisors proceed without delay to define
a policy in reference to said Acts. y
Such was the resolution of the pub
lie meeting held in the Young hotel
roof garden last night to consider the
frontage tax laws. Its second deelar.
alton carried as an amendment 20 a
proposition classifying three different
kinds of streets. No vote was reach.
ed on a third section of the original
resolution, which presented a schedule
of assessments for the different
classes of streets. motion to ad.
iourn at 1858 o'clock-when half the
attendance had left and the other half
was en- its feet-broke up what had
been one of the liyliest debates Hon
oluiu had produced in years.
Mayor Fern presided and. when 1t
came to expressing the sense of the
meeting, Joined with Supervisors Pc
trfe. Pacheco and Wolter in strenu.
ously protesting against what they
held to be an attempt at debating a
policy to the supervisors. Supervisor
Mcclellan said nothing on the ques-
ton at issue, his only remark having
reference to the water and sewer
obligations. Supervisors Hardesty
and Markham were silent.
While there was practical unanimity
Of opinion on the part Of the private
citizens present relative to the duty
CT the beard of supervisors to enforce
the frontage tax laws, considerable
ginger and a little pepper were inject
ed into the discussion of proposed de-
tails Of policy, especially between the
champions OF 100 per cent assessment
on property benefited and those favor.
ing a division of the cost of improve
ments with the municipality.
R. R. Reidford. to whom was allot-
ted the part of stating the purpose
of the meeting, read the recommends
lions of the Central improvement
Committee: THAT the road depart
ment plant be limited to such equip
ment as was necessary for street
maintenance: 2--that the supervisors
be requested to formulate q policy Of
enforcement OF the frontage tax laws,
and. 3-that to assist the supervisors
in formulating policy the mayor and
supervisors call a public meeting
Then he briefly spoke of the import
ance of public improvements, and Of
what other cities were doing in this
regard.
Marston Campbell had for his theme
the application Of the principal of the
frontage tax in mainland cities. He
mentioned his own experience in-Oak-
land, where he had official connection
with the inauguration of the princi-
pie. Saying that "tax" was the mean
est word in the dictionary, he main
tanned that the frontage tax was UNI
questicnably the most equitable tax
that was paid. 1t should not be con-
strued as tax but as an investment.
Enhancement of the value OF proper
ty was the universal effect Of the
frontage tax. In Oakland and all the
other cities of California, as well as
In a majority of the cities OF which
he had data throughout the Union,
every dollar spent for paving, sew
ers and sidewalks was paid by the
owners. This principle kept
down the general tax rate, he said.
All taxes must be either direct or
Indirect said the speaker. Then
Why not have all property bear the
cost of its improvements? If the cost
Is taken out Of the general revenue
It stands to reason that some prop
erty owners viii be heavily burdened
without receiving any benefit. Other
systems have been tried and proved
rank failures. We must not put one
section against another. / doubt If
there is another city anywhere that
has greater problem in development
than Honolulu. 1t must have side.
walks and pavements. 1t is a city of
distances.
Some viii say it is easy to Dor.
row money, but who pays it back?
The utmost limit CT Honolulu's Dor.
rowing capacity is $5,000,000 Three
millions would be sufficient for not
more than the needs of one section.
Bonding the city is entirely out of the
question for meeting the expenses Of
all the public improvements that are
necessary"
Mr.. Campbell then gave a state
ment of the systems of assessment
IN list of fifty mainland cities, ma
jority of which-and these the more
progressive ones-taxed the property
benefited 100 per cent of the cost of
Improvement, II am firmly of be-
lief" he said in conclusion, that. the
little city of Honolulu needs to be
stirred up in the matter of public i'm.
He closed by telling of
ride he had taken from Manoa into
town with visitor from the coast,
who had been in ecstacies over the
natural scenery but, on being shown
the dilapidated fences and unkempt
premises along part of King street,
forcibly expressed disgust.
Albion F. Clark read a well prepar-
ed paper on the expenditures of the
city and county for the past FIVE
years, showing thirteen important
services and statutory obligations be-