Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-12

''' an" inns ieads to considera-
ton OF the second OF the lines along
which relief Ia to be sought, which in
wolves the placing of the burden OF
such improvements where It belongs
or. In other words. making the imam
clal system fair.
This can be accomplished. IL is conf
IDENTITY believed. only BY the re-intro-
duction in Virginia of a system OF local
assessments.
proper system Of local assessment
for streets would require FIRST. the as
ccrtainment by some competent author
lty or the proper division of the cost Of
the paving as between the property
owner and the city. 1t is clear that thi,
should greatly vary. In suburban sec
tons the street is almost entirely for
the beneht Of the abutter. and the as
sessinent should be high-say from 20
per cent TO 80 per cent OF the cost. Con-
trariwisc. in the case of downtown
thorouShfares, the street is primarily
for the benefit of the city at large, ALI
the city's share should be high the
property owner contributing only, say
from 10 per cent TO % per cent. In
either case, the assessments should
be made in instalncnts. not neces-
sarily equal continuing approximately
through the life OF the Improvement.
with an option TO the abutter TO pay, II
no desires, the whole amount IN cash
WIN suitable discount.
The portion OF the cost not provided
for in this way would. OF course. DO
borne BY the city at large Such a
system would not be burdensome to the
abutter. and the city at large would be
Infinitely the gamer. Amortization
charges would be. in large part. pro-
vided for: each Improvement would be
paid for by the time its usefulness end
cd: and outstanding bond issues would
relatively decrease. and would approach
a proper limit.
But to bring about this result a con-
stitutional amendment is necessary.
Section 40 OF the Constitution, in part,
provides that:
NO city or town shall impose any
tax or assessment upon abutt.ng land
owners for street or other public local
improvements, except for making and
Improving the walkways upon then eX-
listing streets. and improving and paw
ing then existing alleys, and for either
the construction. or for the use II
sewers; and the same when imposed.
shall not be in excess OF the peculiar
benefits resulting therefrom to such
abutting landowners. Except in cities
and towns. no such taxes assess
ments. for local public improve ment,
shall be imposed on abutting land
owners"
II is apparent at glance that this
clause operates as practical interdict
against local assessments for any i'm
provcments except the very limited
classes named. Virginia is the single
State in the Union that has provision
Of this kind. The courts Of South Caro-
lima have held local assessments void;
but Virginia alone has. by consttu-
tional enactment tied its hands IS 10
this vital aid to city finance
An outright repeal is what Is re-
quircd. Opinions may differ as to tho
proper framing OF local assessment
la ws-whether. for example. assess
ments should be made for opening
streets as we'll as paving them. and in
such case whether the value OF the
benefits should be allowed as against
the value OF the land taken. or merely
as against that OF the land damaged;
by what system assessments should be
determined, whether by frontage, value
or how: whether assessments should
be preceded by petition of property
owners. and, II SO, of what proportion
OF them. and many other questions that
might be enumerated. But these mat
tiers should be left 10 public opinion,
as reflected by the legislature.
In the evolving cycles of the years,
the cities are coming again into their
own. They are the handmaidens of
civilization. Far back in the ages.
when the concept of nationality was
undreamed Of, men were building great
and splendid cities wherein they might
abide for their defense and their de-
light We know of Nineveh and Baby
lon, of Tyre and Sdon, but only vaguely
do we conceive of the countries in
which they were. The glory that was
Greece found its most poignant ex-
preston, not in the Vale of Tempe. but
on the heights of the Acropolis; and
the grandeur that was Rome was
cpitomiZed in the phrase. redolent OF
civic pride, civis Romanus sum-that
most concise formula Of civil rights
known to history. And when that glory
and that grandeur had departed, we
find Florence and Verona. Venice and
Genoa, continuing the great civic ira
dition. There came. in some important
parts of the world. n change. Govern
mental systems revolving around
landed aristocracy, with small partici-
patton in government on the part OF
the masScs-systcms such as gave char
actcr to England and Slorifed Virginia
in ante bellum days-however effective
as breeders Of great men. were yet
species OF beneficcnt oligarchies. They
were not favorable to the highest NUM-
cipal development; and hence for a long
time the primacy OF the city, under
such systems, received a check. But
with the advance and more extensive
infusion of democracy, ever favorable
to city development, the pendulum
swung back, and the cities are again
the centcrs of light and learning, OF
arts and letters. of the glory no less
than Of the stress Of life full to over
flowing.