The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-14

De an aValiaple udiduCc VI SlVV,fVo
for work on lateral roads and bridges
not included in the bonded system.
At the same ratio of increase, the
assessed valuation for 1919 will be
$32,239,319. yielding without in
creased millage $257.914.55. De-
Quoting the same charges as before.
amounting to 100000 there will
be an available balance of $152,914 |
for work on lateral roads and
bridges not included in the bonded i
system.
These figures, remember, do not
include any increase in the assessed
valuation in the county by reason
of the building Of 211 miles Of hard
surfaced roads, but only the same
ratio Of increase which has accrued
with our present roads. What the
increase will be after the proposed
system of roads shall have been built
and even during construction, Is not
easy to compute but results from ad-
joining counties have shown In a
general way that this increase has
been tremendous.
Before closing this article, how
ever,it is necessary, of course, to
say something about the refunding
OF the bonds, for which in the fore
going figures no provision has been
made. 1t is believed, as has been
said already, that the commission
ers favor the plan of making the
first bond of $50, 900 come due five
years after date and to take up $780,
900 every succeeding year until
twenty such payments have been
made. thus reducing the entire bond
issue in twenty-five years from date.
This plan will enable the COM
missioners to have the use of the
following amounts. which is the bal
ance of the road tax each year, after
allowing for refund to incorporated
IOWuS anu mdihIahah.c " wv
victs:
1916-$11,422.00.
1917 37,035.00.
1915 6S,2S3.O0.
| 1876, 4O5.OO.
| 2,914.OO or total OF
$376,059.0O which, if properly en-
pended, ought to put in good shape
; every lateral road in the county.
In 1921, not counting any increase
whatever in assessed value and with
the same income as the previous
} year, viz: $257,914.55, there will
/ have to be provided an extra expen
I diture of 100000 for sinking fund
This will make the total expenoi
E lures $4,000 and the available
, balance $92,914.
: This, it is believed that 1t Will
: easily be seen that the bond issu
r can easily be financed even withou
n the increase Of single mill 0
n taxes over that now assessed an
i that the lateral roads can also b
tken care of much easier than with
out a bond issue, because 211 milo
of roads, needing expensive and cor
slant repair, will be out OF the wa
for several years to come.
Absolute accuracy Is not elaine
VI for the foregoing figures, but
:, their basis has been obtained fro'
q an authoritative source. The COZ
l. structive items are approximate
Is correct.
v Only the pessimist will object
i the very conservative estimate wit
v regard to increased valuation an
d it should be well understood tha
r. this increased assessment will nj
n come so much from the increase
z value Of property now carrying
}, reasonable valuation as from lane
l. now assessed at only a few dollar
II per acre which lack of roads are nj
E now desirable for agricultural an
a development purposes.
,e The taxpayer should remembt
Is that his willingness to pay til
le taxes. on which the above figure
> are based, is not asked. He is pa.
l. ing mills road tax now. He wi
Or continue to pay that and more will
lg out bond issue and while waitin
- until he comes to die for the got
es roads he desires to use now. I'll
o, mill tax he is now paying,
Of shown by the foregoing figure
is with only a very reasonable al
lie conservative dependence on the +
ture, as shown by the past, will tai
ne care Of the bond issue and all Il
be other necessary obligations. Thu
n what is the object of waiting?-
e. Published by direction of the Pc
e, Good Roads Association