El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-11
OPPOSES BOND ISSUE.

OPPOSES BOND ISSUE.
Editor FL PasO Herald
Ell PasOs sewage and garbage dis
pOsal plant, failure. is an excellent
example Of our highway financiering
and failure The cause in each case Is
the same-vOtiRg bonds before we know
the necessary amount of money re-
quired and spending the money on i'm
proper methods and plans or no meth
DDS and plans
The proposed road bond issue Of
100000 is being urged on the ground
that the money is needed Immediately
to repair the improved roads which we
have attempted TO build tt is frankly
proposed to maintain our highways by
money secured through bond issues.
That is an economically unsOund and
indefensible financial program So far,
there has not been an improved high
way constructed in FL Paso county that
has not had 10 be practically rebuilt
within five years We have already
made a number Of road bond issues and
the bonded Indebtedness Of our high
ways is accommodating at the rate OF
about $1,000 per mile per year II we
continue to do as we have done, we viii
finally have a bonded Indebtedness OF
anywhere from $4,000 TO $4,000 per
mile on our highways and still have
bad roads. 1t is no proper application
Of bond issue 10 eXpend the proceeds
on the maintenance of improved high
ways constructed under a previous
issue. The present proposal is being
defended and urged on the ground that
the commissioners court has reduced
the road tax. thereby making the
county dependent on a new bond issue
fer the maintenance of its highways
In my opinion, the admitted situation Is
one Of the strongest possible argu-
meuts against a continuation Of the
policy which FL Paso county has fol-
lowed in her road building
II is 0ufra rrua that the county must
issue more bonds and rebuild her i'm
proved highways but this present ueces-
Sity is due TO the improper financial
policy land inefficient construction
hereunder which the county has pur-
sued in the past The situation pre-
sents an uuansWerable argument
against the continuation of such
policy and now is the time 10 change it.
The policy of reducing the road tax
and issuing bonds for the maintenance
of our highways is financially utterly
fallaciOus and will certainly end IN
financial disaster If persisted in. The
highway that viii carry the traffic
without regular maintenance has not
yet been devised II FL Paso county is
to maintain good roads she must have
an ample maintenance fund which
should be provided through taxation
not through bond issues
Members of the commissioners court
are quoted in the public press as say
ing that a new order in road building
is going to be inaugurated Let US
hope that they are correct BY the
way. if that is true why could not the
commissioners court take the people
into its confidence and tell them before
election day who determined that
100000 are now required; how the de-
termination was made. where the
money is going to be spent, and the
kind of improved highway that is go
ing to be built The assurances which
are being given to the public could
han dly fairly be made in the absence Of
proper investigation and conclusions by
somebody competent TO handle the
problem.
J. L Campbell