The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-03
Commissioners
And Chamber Com.
Agree Upon Plans
To Pave Streets

| third. This would be a burden on
neither, because the city's share
could be financed by city commission
ers with nothing more than the con-
sent of the city to allow the county
to reimburse itself out of the refund,
and the small property owner. with
| a frontage of one hundred feet,
would only be assessed about $4,000
! for the entire work, which on the
| ten year certificate plan, would
mean only IS per annum, or fifty
cents per month, or less than two
cent postage stamp daily. This, of
course, on a basis of the same con-
struction as is contemplated for the
county roads. In the close-in resi-
Dental districts, however, wider
paving, with curb and, gutter, would
be desirable and, doubtless, insisted
on, but, even then, it can readily be
seen that this is a very feasible plan.
The width of the paving is not lin
tied, nor the question of curb and
gutter, so far as the willingness of
the county to finance the city's
third is concerned.
This plan covers the absolutely
necessary work, but, as has been
pointed out by the commissioners,
other work is needed and ought, If
possible to be done at the same time.
For instance, it would be exceedingly
difficult to determine which route
should be taken leading from the
present paved limits to the Barlow
road. Property owners on three
different routes have presented pc
titions asking to have this paving
done, even when it was expected on
a fifty-fifty basis. There are several
other thoroughfares badly needing
paving, and, as the mayor pointed
out last night, by the levy of one
mill tax, four times the work can
be done which is contemplated I'M
der the other plan. This first plan
was conceived with the idea of get
i, ting what was absolutely necessary
at this time without any increase of
taxation, but, if the fifty per cent
refund is used for the county road
connections, the city commissioners
claim they will have to make up for
tho pf fhic nj a n,,n
mill levy in order to have this
amount for general street work and
maintenance. So, it seems to be as
broad as long, with this difference,
that the one mill levy will, on the
basis of present taxable valuation
of $4,000,O00, yield $4,000 per an
mum, or, in ten years, 100000. This
amount, on the one-third basis, will
enable $4,000 worth of street
work to be done, and without, prac-
[tically any increase in taxation.
There does not seem to be any reas-
enable difficulty why this much
needed work should be delayed any
longer than to do the things neces-
sary under the law. The resolution !
has been adopted and published. |
Engineers profiles and specifications !
are on file. Contractors are ready to |
make better bids on the work than |
could be otherwise secured, and it is
believed that arrangements can be !
made to convert the certificates into
Improvement bonds" and satisfac- ',
torily market same, either for cash
or in payment for the work.
AS citizen, l would earnestly
hope that this be not the plan of
any individual or group of men, but
the plan of cooperative and unit
ed citizenship, determined to work
together for community development Il
and for the largest interior town in
IT
A. ]. HODWORTHY,
Secretary Polk County Good Roads
Association