Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-07
IT'S YOUR CITY; MAKE II OR KILL IT

The persons affected by the failure of the charter
amendments to pass if they should fall the property
owners unmproved streets. If the amendments are
adopted the debt owing for streets already improved
and not paid for will have to be paid by the city There
only two ways in which this be done one by tax
heavy enough to pay them which would practically ruin
every small property owner or by issuing bonds spread
ing the payments over term of years. If the amend
ments not adopted the latter plan will have to be
adopted and some kind of bond issue be provided This
would result in the property owners on unimproved
streets being taxed to pay for the paving already laid
with hope OF getting like improvements in front
of their property This class Of property owners is
being appealed to to defeat the amendments on the
grounds that they adopted their property may be
forced to pave in front of it, There nothing to this
argument for Of the amendments is framed to guard
against street improvements unless majority of the
superficial of the property liable to pay for the same
petitions for it. Under the present ordinance it requires
twothrds Of the property to make the remonstrance
effective.
Those owning property the paved streets and who
have not paid for the improvements opposing the
amendment making the liens colectabe One of these
gentlemen said few days ago. that he did not much
about the others but he did object to that because
he had not paid his assessments for seven wears and owed
nearly thousand dollars Naturally if the city would
pay that he would be pleased to have it do The
question is do the property whose streets have
not been improved want to make this gentleman and
many others in the boat with him a present of the
amounts they owe?
1t is short sighted policy even for the owners who
would receive the benefits by having their street
mentS PAID Tor tnem Tor Cney would nave TO pay IN
creased taxes indefinitely to pay the bonds necessarily
issued and before they paid off the paving laid
will be out and there will be way in which it can
be renewed Then too if the city pays for paving certain
streets by general taxation it will be only right that every
street in the city should be paved That would be just
Again the proposal is if the amendments fail to bond in
way to pay for all the paving and this will require
the epayng of those who have already paid and it is
proposed that this should be done with the interest from
the time of payment added This would make the paving
cost the city from 30 to per cent than paving
would cost and this despite the fact that the prop
ary owners especially in the business district have in the
shape of increased rents received much than the
interest and in most cases. the principle also The citizen
when he goes to the polls next Monday should lay aside
selfish interest and vote for what he thinks is best for the
,ity through the years to Most of expect toI
make Salem home long are permitted to stay
earth and our action Monday should be taken with
view to the future rather than to present personal
gain To the Capital Journal the only solution of the
problem facing the city is to adopt the amendments It'll
believes if this is not done it will work rreparabe injury
and permanently check the citys growth. 1t realizes
fully that the street improvements have been conducted
IN sipshod manner 1t realizes that certain improve
nents should not have been made 1t realizes that some
nardshps will necessarily follow to certain property
owners should the amendments pass but weighed against
these and other things is the general welfare OF the city
and this so far outweighs all Of them together that the
adoption Of the amendments is an absolute necessity