The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-19
OBJECT TO
RAISING BOND LIMIT
AND BUILDING A PIER
ENERGETIC PROTEST is NOW RE-
ING MADE AGAINST PASSAGE
OF TWO DAYToNA BEACH BILLS
BY STATE LEGISLATURE

BY STATE LEGISLATURE
me state legislature in its present
session has under consideration two
Dllis which concern the town of Day-
| lows: -0A
An Act to enable the town of Dav-
iona Beach to purchase or erect and
oulid a pier or dock extending into
lhe Atlantic ocean; and.
| An Act TO enable the town of Dav-
| iona beach to issue bonds to an
amount equal to 20 per cent of the
assessed valuation but not in excess
| ot ~ per cent of the actual value of
az real estate and personal property
of the town.
The tirst bill has been widely dis
eussed by the citizens of the penin-
! Suia town. An election was held
| dnout TWO months and a half ago for
| Tue purpose of bonding the town to
! me amount of approximately $17.5OO
Iof the purpose, chiefly, of buying the
NedtlhS ocean pier and casino, situat-
ga at the eastern terminus of Sea
| breeze avenue. This election which
required two-thirds vote of the Deo-
pie, failed to pass by very small
/ +
~ declared null and void bv the Day-
tona Beach officials, because of the
erroneous manner in which the cleo
tion was carried out. No further sten
mas been taken since, except to have
the foregoing bill presented TO the lee
islatures
If the bond issue of S1750O had
carried, Daytona Beach would now be
bonded to the limit OF 10 per cent of
its total assessed valuation which i,
prescribed by law. a total bondage of
about $4,000.
In order to raise the present limit
OF 10 per cent it is necessary for Day.
.ona Beach to apply to the state leg
lsiature for permission to do so. be-
cause the towns charter as granted
oy the legislature of 1906. does not
alloW the people to settle such a cues
tloh Dy a vote among themselves.
therefore, the officials of Davtona
beaeh have seen fit to ask the state
legislature to pass the second of the
foregoing bills so that the town can
bond, II II wishes, to the amount of
Slo0,UOO and thus have enough money
TO buIld a large pier into the ocean
and make other improvements which
some citizens deem very necessary.
However, there are now in circula-
ton several petitions which are being
signed by many of the beach people.
Directing to the passage of the PRO
posed acts and asking Representative
Putnam and Sholtz and Senator James
&. Alexander to use their Influence
and vote in opposition These peti-
tions have as their principal objection
the grounds that "a majority of the
heaviest taxpayers of the municipal-
ity of Daytona Beach are winter resi-
dents and are absent during the sum
mer season and an election, if il be
held in the summer season, would not
convey by its result the wishes Of the
majority OF the voters and tax p
ers
Another and principal objection to
an extension of the bond limit to 20
per cent of the assessed valuation is
the increase of taxes which is sure
to take place if a big bond issue
should be carried. The millage OF
Daytona Beach is now % mills, which
is also the limit prescribed BY law
With this percentage about $4,000
is raised each year to take care of
the towns current expenses such as
the interest on the present bonds. the
sinking fund road work work etc All
of this amount but $4,000 is planned
for and taken up in the budget as
passed by the council on the last
Monday in March. AS has always
been the case in former years this
emergency money of $4,000 is sure
to be used for various things that may
come up.
In case the bill should pass the leg
lt d al nd he oh
100000 to build a pier a town hall. to
Guy q public park and pave some
streets it will create a necessary in
teTest of five per cent or $4,000 on the
bonds each year and sinking fund
of $4,000 each year or a total addition
al expense OF at least $4,000 and prob
ably more for the upkeep of the new
investments. OF course the yearly
street expenditure of about $4,000
would be materially lessened BY the
street improvements included in the
$4,000 issue but ii is very certain
that ii would mean an additional year
~ expense of several thousand dol
lars TO the town. This sum would
nave TO be obtained in some manner
and the only possible way would be
to raise the tax assessments on Day
iona Beach property as the millage
itself cannot be raised. For every dol
lar that the town assessments are rais+i
ga, the city and county taxes are sure
TO be raised dollar and half. There
fore Daytona Beach cannot pass such
bond issue without considerably
raising its taxes
on the other hand. ii the town
should bond for $4,000 for the sole
purpose of paving all of its principal
thoroughfares the added expense OF
$4,000 for interest and sinking fund.
would be balanced by the removal Of
the $4,000 yearly expenditure for
streets which is now made The sum
of $4,000 is sufficient to pave several
miles of Daytona Beach streets and
TOR number OF years with such
streets, there would be little or no
expense for upkeep
There is no objection to a reason
able bond issue by any citizen OF the
beach but the men with the leyelest
heads haliava, fbat n heavy hap3ad