The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-06-15

shall have been changed by a main,
ity of the qualified electors of the nor.
district voting thereon.
Section a of the Act provides
as follows:
All port districts organized undo,
the provisions of this act shall he .ns
are hereby authorized to raise row
enue by the levy of an annual tax ~
all taxable property within such nort
district not exceeding two mills IN
any one year; to borrow money ana
issue bonds in an amount not exceod
ing three per cent of the taxable val.
ue of all property in such port Al.
trict upon three-fifths majority vot.
of the qualified voters in such nor.
district voting thereon. And no bond.
shall ever be issued to provide for the
acquiring or construction of any dock
or wharf until such commission shall
have first negotiated lease Of sucb
dock or wharf for term of not las,
than ten years upon terms which shall
produce a net income to pay the in.
terest on the bonds issued as such IN.
terest accrues, and create a sink;no
fund which at a proportionate rate
will retire the bonds at maturity
which lease shall be secured by a bond
from a lessee with sureties salts.
factory to such port commission
From the foregoing it will he
seen that the powers of the port
commission are carefully limited
especially as to the expenditure
No annual assessment above two
mills can be made. No bonds
can be issued without the an.
proval of three-fifths of the yot.
ers and then the limit is placed
at three per cent which in this
district would limit the bonded
indebtedness to approximately
$4,000. In other words It
would seem impossible for the
port commission to undertake
the construction of works on
any large scale except as the
wealth of the district increases.
The construction of docks along
the lines suggested by the oppo-
nents of the plans involving an
expenditure of $4,000 is abso-
! lutely prohibited by the terms of
, the statute until such time as
the wealth of the district is more
than doubled. In no event can
, bonds be issued for the construc-
, ton of wharves and docks until
: an annual income is guaranteed
! sufficient to pay interest and
create a sinking fund. If on
, Grated as a public dock the rates
! charged must be sufficient to
: create the sinking fund and pay
~
: the interest.
I The entire statute is designed
q to provide for complete sys-
s ITEM of improvements and to pre-
went crazy-patch work resulting
Q from changes in the port COM
' mission. The comprehensive
: scheme required by the statute
must be sufficient to provide Tor
the needs of the harbor as those
needs develop without calling
an election to authorize the con-
e struction of each unit.
Ell If the plan suggested by tne
d commission is rejected at tine
4 coming election it means that
!, the organization of the distrlc,
s was a useless undertaking. mo-
e one cent can be expended by TIT
t commission for any form OF mar "a
t Dor improvement unless TIM
e plan or some other "comprehesn!
S sive" plan is approved; Ii sna
= pin is rejected and a plan ao u
t ted on a smaller scale by en-
commission, it will be necessal.
e to submit that plan to the vo1eI
s for their approval. Needless :
say that any plan submltIe
IT will meet with objection frol
e. some quarters. The comm;
E. sion has offered a plan, which nj, !
,e ratified, will enable them !. .
in proceed carefully and caut y !,
l. iy with the expenditure OF y
r i annual two mill tax or sue :
" portion of that su m :
he may be necessary, in the e :
=, fort to secure municipality Go,
We trolled docks and warehouse
as If the plan is rejected 1t ms ;sl
1T absolutely nothing on the NV ,lu
r front until such time as the ~
1T companies or the RAILROAD Gu !,
re panies operating boat lines :
Ill der cover, construct them
IF under the safeguards 81
40 ,,l;oJ hy fho statute we CALM