Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-06-20
THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS

The most important matter that has come before the
voters of Salem for settlement in years is before it
in the charter amendments submitted by the cuonc The
city is at turning point in its history and the question
for to decide is shall it continue to go forward or shall
it 90 back The condition which faces her is vital one,
and it is that has about largely through care
lessness The situation should have been met it arose.
and settled then That however is thing OF the past and
is not worth discussing now as the past cannot be re-
called.
It is an unfortunate situation because however it may
be decided it will work hardship seme The question
is what will work the least injury Briefly the sit
uation this The city has paved some "a miles OF streets
under what is known the Bancroft act This provided
for the city issuing bonds for street work it done
it being given lien against the abuttng property for
the amounts assessed against it for street improvements
This enabled the property owner backed by the ctys
credit to make the payments for the improvements dur
ing period of ten years. On the face OF it this was
reasonable and convenient system; but unfortunately
while the city given lien it provided that they
these liens not enforceable there being no means
provided for forecosng them. The trouble was that
while the city was given lien it provied that they
would be enforced 'n the manner as provided by
law for sale and collection of delinquent taxes"
1t is the ambguousness of this section that the
trouble for there is law for the sale and collection OF
delinquent taxes" sb. e@w Il se4e3
There are some other matters in this connection which
will be taken up later and full statement of the whole
situation made This, after matters now being
looked up settled by the legal authorities. AS it
stands however it is up to the city to pass the amend
ments proposed or to provide some means for meeting
the outstanding obligations which could only be done by
bond issue If the amendments fail then the PROPOSE
ton of bonding the city to pay for all street improve
ments will necessarily have to be considered There are
quite number who favor this latter plan but believe
they do so because they have gone into the matter
thoroughly. If the whole city is bonded to pay the
amounts already spent for paving it will require, those
familiar with the matter say, million and half dollars
This would bond the city to its full legal limit and would
require heavy taxation extending long period Of
years to pay off In the meanwhile there could be no
street improvements of any kind This would work
hard
Streets for their property would be taxed to pay for the
paving already laid with hope of having their own
streets paved To avoid this it necessary to provide
some means for collecting the money from those property
owners along the streets already paved and to
psh this the amendments submitted apparently the
only means The city is responsible for the amounts still
due and will have them to pay uness the property own
assessments have been paid the question is shall other
property along paved streets also be compelled
to pay !?