The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-06
How The Good Roads Bond
Issue Can Be Financed

Ouc VI tue lmPOi tdut quSStiohS
which the intelligent voter is askin 8
and which ought to be answered in
a thoroughly practicable and intel
ligent manner is how can the
county commissioners finance sue
cessfully the matter Of the proposed
bond issue for one million dollars
for road building in the county,"
Can 1t be shown in a clear and
concret. way that the obligation in
CURED by Polk county, II the bond
election should carry, can be met
fully and completely without handi-
Gaping the commissioners In the
matter of making necessary repairs
to roads and bridges outside the
limits Of the proposed system of
roads, the maintenance Of the con-
victs, etc., and without materially
increasing the taxes Of the individ-
ual taxpayer"
These questions have been asked
before and answered in a general
way. This article proposes to an
swer them again in detail shown G
how everything can be properly
taken care of on the lines suggested
by the questions.
Let us take it for granted that a
bond issue for twelve hundred
thousand dollars will be necessary tc
build the system Of roads outlined
and that the election to be held IN
April or May will be favorable. II
will, in all probability be Septem
Der, at the earliest. before any pro
ceeds would be available from the
sale of the bonds and no Interest
would be called for prior to the fal
of 1917. 1t has been proposed b!
some of the commissioners, II mo-
unanimous, that twenty-five yea
bonds be issued and that the frs
refunding payment be made on the
sixth year. That year for each sue
ceeding year it is proposed to retir'
$4,000 worth of the bonds. Dur
ing the first five years, none of thu
bonds will mature and only the In
terest will have to be paid, amount
ing to $4,000. The total incom
from the road tax for the curren
year 6 mile on a valuation o
s14,55s,s0O will amount to Sis,
42240. approximately $4,000 o
this amount will be refunded to tn
Incorporated towns in the county Il
take care of the street work within
the corporate limits. One Of tn
commissioners has stated that
costs $4,000 = year to take care o
the eonviets, thsss three items total
ing S1OS,oee. This will still leav
s11,4a9.oe available for work Of
lateral roads and bridges Aot inolud
ed in the bonded system. These AZ
ures, - far, relate only to the yea
1917 based on the a1sDsd valuation
for 1914. The figures. taken rrou
the books Of the Assessor, are Is fol
lows:
19lo-$s,sS6,s0o.
1s11- 7.Sss,43o.
1871 S.3s1,4Se.
1913-1S.4is,sse.
1s14-14,5S3,Seo.
1t In not presumed that the mo-
conservative citizens OF Polk count
Will question tho estimate that tn
assessed value of the county Will n
crease in much greater rate TIL
and suessAiAg year,. and ssDssiall
as and whom the contemplated In
provsns eat u nAds. bat taking cal
the same ratio Of Increase s0ote
above. (avsragiAg - Per esRt -
annun) AID the assssssd value fs
1919 will - 317.7S4.41s,' yisldin
with the sane nillage. $142,esb.S'
Dsdusting from this amount The II
tsrsst Of 3so.sse. maintsaAnss
eonviots 93S.sos and S1e.oos n
funded to incorporate tovnA, or
total Of e1oB.sos. there will }
available for work o. lateral rse<
and bridges not iAelutsA In d
bon ded system. balance Of >s7
o3g.OO. At the sane ratio Of n
crease. the assessed valuation 70
1917 will be S21,sso,3s7. yisidiA
without an increased nillags, sits
asses. Dedacting the same charge
az above. amounting to 31sS,se'
there will be an available balance {
ses,2S3 for work on lateral read
and bridges not included in tn
bonded system.
At the same ratio Of increase, tn
assessed valuation for 1918 will
s2S, 425.672. yielding without IN
creased millage s211,405.76. d.
Quoting the same charges, as befor'
vote and influence are earnestly sc