The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-02

be an available balance of s106,405
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 s257,914.55. 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
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 $4,000 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
towns and maintenance of con-
victs:
19i6-$11.422.Od 7"'i...,,
1917 37,035.OO.
1915 6S,2S3.OO. Il.
1919-1O6,405.00.
1920-152,914.0O or total OF
$376.059.0O which, II properly ex-
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-
diture of $4,000 for sinking fund
This will make the total expendi
lures 100000 and the available
balance 1924.
This, it is believed that 1t vii
easily be seen that the bond ISSUE
can easily be financed even without
the increase of single mill o.
taxes over that now assessed ant
that the lateral roads can also bt
tken care of much easier than with
out bond issue, because 211 mile,
of roads. needing expensive and con
slant repair, will be out of the wa!
for several years to come.
Absolute accuracy Is not claimed
for the foregoing figures, but al
their basis has been obtained from
an authoritative source, the con
structive items are approximate!
correct.
Only the pessimist will object tt
the very conservative estimate will
regard to increased valuation an,
it should be we'll understood tina
this increased assessment will no
come so much from the increase II
value of property now carrying
reasonable valuation as from land
now assessed at only few dollar
per acre which lack OF roads are no
now desirable for agricultural an
development purposes.
The taxpayer should remembe
that his willingness to pay tn
taxes, on which the above figure
are based, is not asked. He Is pay
ing s mills road tax now. He vii
continue to pay that and more with
out bond issue and while waitin
until he comes to die for the goo
roads he desires to use now. TIL
mill tax he is now paying, a
shown by the foregoing figures
with only a very reasonable an
conservative dependence on the fu
ture, as shown by the past, will TAX
care of the bond issue and all tn
other necessary obligations. The
what is the object of waiting?-
Published by direction of the Pol
Good Roads Association.