Evening journal., 1916-07-07
MAYOR PRAISES
IN annual MESSAGE
contlnued nom Flrst Page.

plte the IalJ lndI the DpdlA "a i-N"N'N
ton was given an additional appro-
priation to close its financial ohliga-
tions was alluded to by the mayor
The good work accomplished Oy
the new Board OF Assessment and
the results expected from the
new method Of apportioning taxes
were also referred 10. Ihe
message set forth that something
would have TO be done TO relieve the
tax situation. however. as the tax ra'e
cannot be made much lower as lons
as the entire expense Of administering
the affairs Of the city has-to be oolhe
by direct property tax
Following is the message
To the President and Members OF the
Council of Wilmington
Gentlemen 1t has been customary
FOR the Mayor 10 send to the Council
AZ the beginning of the fiscal year.
eucb suggestions for the welfare or
the city. as TO him may seem proper
The wear lust past has been a won
6erfnliv prosperous one for Whining
ton and I am inclined 70 think It VIII
occupv a larger and prouder space IN
her history than any year for many
generations past.
What the future has in store for u.s.
M man knows Much depends upon
the faithfulness Of city officials and
employees: much depends upon the ac-
five interest and cooperation Of our
good citizens. Let us see to 1t that
in the remaining year OF our admins
tration every official and employe
does his best for the city, and let US
hone for that active interest and CO
oneration Of our fellow-citlzens which
ia 80 desirable and necessary.
II is perhaps unnecessary Tor me
to recall 20 your minds the many i'm
portant things that have been accom-
pIished during the year ! do want
10 saw. however, that I think you have
done remarkably we'll in closing the
wear with a surplus instead Of de-
felt This could only have been done
bv strict economy and by good busi-
ness methods. The financing Of the
Board Of Education has been ser
ious problem during the year, and
while not vet adjusted IN a way that
is entirely satisfactory, perhaps all
has been done that could reasonably
be expected until such time as the
Legislature can afford relief.
Mach has been accomplished by the
new Board Of Assessment toward
euualizing assessments The plan Is
fine one. and with the present able
members Of the board doing their best
to perfect il, and with the taxpayer
exercising a little patience and con-
fdenoe in relation TO Il, have reason
to hope that It will become univer-
sally popular throughout our city.
The collection OF taxes is on thu
new basis beginning with the tisca
year and much improvement is ex
pected by this plan. But so long a
practically the entire expense OF ad
mlnistering the affairs of the city ha
70 be borne by a direct property tax
the rate cannot be low, no matter how
perfect the assessment Of the prop
erty or how complete the collection
Of the taxes may be. Outside of the
small sums received for theatre cir
Gus. auctioneer licenses, and fines in
the Municipal Court, the real prop
erty in the city bears the entire bur
den. In the county districts every
man pays a school tax. whether he
owns property or not Shouldn't some
thing be done to relieve this stua-
ton? I appreciate II cannot be done
by your body. but recommendations
from you TO the next General Assem-
bly, should receive as they usually do
careful consideration.
l am strongly convinced that IN,
street paving problems for this cit,
can only be solved by adopting al
Rbutting paving law. and strongl,
Recommend that such law b
framed and presented 10 the mex
General Assembly.
I find out Of ninety-one cities 4
our country Of which could get an
record, the abutting property owner
are paying the entire cost OF pawn
IN sixty-nine. and only twenty-tw
pay no part of the cost Wilmington
as we all know, Is in the latter clas
There have been several suggel
fions made as 10 the best method
financing the paving OF streets, and
is q question which should be carr
fully considered. especially by proJ
erty owners. At one Of the meeting
II the Mayors Cabinet, recently. sel
eral of our large property owner
made the following suggestions.
Association with the business
Of the city, or with real estate or
building operations, OF other
causes, has conduced to our Civ
Ing much thought in relation 10
methods Of financing the paving
Of the streets of Wilmington We
desire TO express some opinions
on this subject
We believe il is obligatory that
the city shall abandon the pres
ent system Of paying for street
paving. and adopt one, which is
50 much more general, Of collect
ing the whole cost Of such pave
ment from the owners Of prop
-~frty abutting on the streets paved
This Is evidenced from the fact
that the cities operating under
this method are far in advance Of
all other cities, of which there are
now but few which are operating
under the same OF similar law as
exists in Wilmington.
The cost per property under an
abrtting paving law is much less
than the prevailing impression of
our citizens, and it is indisputa-
bly, a fact that the expenses of
such work to the owners OF prop
erty adds more than the cost tc
the value of such property.
If We do continue under III,
present system, the streets vii
never be completely paved. be
cause the bonded indebtedness O