The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1916-03-25
JOS. o. MAUFFRAY
ADDRESSES PUBLIC
In Interest of ProposedB Bond
Issue For Bay st. Louis
Seawall-Gives Figures.

AT the mass meeting Tuesday mig ht
| held at the courthouse when the public
was addressed by several speakers in
the effort to present the matter of issu-
ing bonds and building seawall in or
der to enlighten the public on the SUBJ
iect and disabuse the public mind of SO
many false impressions and erroneous
statements that had gained current
circulation, among the speakers on the
occasion none threw more light and
gave better understanding than Jos.
O. Mauffray, a member of the Bond
Commission, and one of the heaviest
taxpayers in the city. He dealt with
figures principally, based on data secur-
ed from the books of Tax Assessor and
Tax Collector F. FL. Egloff for the
past fiscal year.
His address was logical. well-pre-
sented and proved Illuminating to every
one present. Figures are incontrover-
tible, they never falsify, and cannot be
gainsayed, hence the weight Of Mr..
Mauffray's address.
Below The Echo publishes part OF
Mr.. Mauffray's address. His remarks
will appeal to the thinker, and the
figures presented ought to have the
earnest consideration OF the reader
interested. He said:
"Now coming to the assessments,
taxes and the comparison of the beach
property taxes as against the rear pro-
perty; We have here figures taken
from the city assessors and tax-col-
lector's assessment roll and tax re-
ceipts for the fiscal year just closed.
"The total assessed valuation of the
city is St,579.3t6, of which 1884, 1868 is
the assessed valuation OF property, per-
sonal and real. abutting Front street,
and in addition to the amount just men,
toned there is S68, ,s95 of rear property
owned by people who are beach pro-
perty owners, making total $903, ,75S
IS against $675, ,468 for the balance of
the city.
ssThe total amount of taxes collected
was $40, ,730 of which. amount the beach
property owners paid St1, ,9f8 as against
49, 1872 for all other property. Figured
we find that that over 81 per cent. of the
taxes come from beach property owners.
Hence, on~this basis, the per cenGage of
taxes borne by the beach property own
ers for interest and the redemption of
the proposed bond issue figures over
7S1a per centum as against less than
2111a per centum by the rear property.
Furthermore, slightly over half the
taxes are paid by 81 property owners
on the beach, who. pay $40 and up, and
only II beach property owners pay one
fourth of the taxes of Bay ST. Louis.
"It is clear then that the property
now owned by these fifty-one tax-pay-
ers will contribute Is per cent. toward
the interest and retirement of the en-
tire bond issue.
"Now we shall deal with another
phase of the issue:
"How many of US have ever stopped
to think of how it would effect each and
everyone of US individually. We will
take for instance the property assessed
for $1,000, of which class there are
only t3in this city-that and over. The
taxes with the 5 mill levy amounts to
$4,000 per year. Do not lose sight of
the fact, however, that for the proper
ty abutting the Front street this am cunt
is doubled.
"Now we get to the assessed valua-
ton of the general run of property +,
which believe to be conservatively the
average of properties owned by others
than beach property owners, namely,
S100O.> The taxes would be So a year,
Al cents per month, 1-3c per day."