Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-04
THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS

Salems property owners do not to realize the i'm
portance Of the coming election the bearing it may
have on the future of the city, They as general thing
are taking but little interest in it. and yet it is Of vital i'm
portance to each and every one OF them There GER
tain amount of money due and owing for street i'm
provements That money must be paid by some one 4
the Of the property along the streets do not pay
the city must To meet this situation the council has
submitted three amendments which to be voted
next Monday. One of these simply provides for giving
the majority of the property owners the right to say
whether street shall be improved There should be
objection to that by anyone Another provides for MAX
ing liens against property for street improvements en-
forcibe There should be objection to this for it is the
acme of Stiffness to give the city lien that is no lien at
ALL If it cannot be collected it is absolutely worthless.
The principal objection to this from those who have
had the streets improved in front Of their property but
have not paid for the work Naturally it does not appeal
to he yet they have had the benefit OF the Improvement
and should be willing to pay for 1t.
The third amendment provides for reassessing the
property when through error the original assess
ment is invalid 1t is against this amendment the great
est fight is being waged 1t will affect most strongly
those living Twelfth street. the Improvement OF Which
is still largely unpaid for Great stress has been laid by
the opponents of this the mandate OF the
supreme court which through made to hold
that the remonstrance sufficient when as matter
of fact the supreme court held such thing What it
did decide that the attempt to repat certain portions
of the property along the street was invalid and OF no
effect Twelfth street presents serious problem, ana
that requires just the amendment submitted to solve
it in the best possible for the city ana Tor the
property owners, on whom the assessment bears too
heavily Section 70 which proposed to be added to the
charter after providing for IeaSSessment reads: Such
new or reassessment shall be made in equitable man
ner in accordance with the law IN force at the time OF
making the original assessment BUT THE COMMONI
COUNCIL. MAY ADOPT A DIFFERENT PLAN OFF
APPORTIONMENT OF SUCH COST WHEN 1T MAY
BE NECESSARY TO SECURE A JUST ASSESS
MENTo
1t will be seen from this that the amendment provides
for making more equitable assessment and apporton
ment of the cost of the Improvement and provides the
only way in which an equitable division of the cost can
be made.
is also argued that the council is trying to force these
charter amendments down the peoples throas by threat
ening them with bond ISSUE So far as that goes the
city council will not compel the city to issue bonds to meet
its obligations for street improvements If the amend
ments fall but circumstances will The taxpayers will
either have to meet the payments Tor street improve
mens already made and which not paid for by bond
issue by heavy tax levy The city responsible for
the bill and will have it to pay if the amendments fail to
pass 1t will be up to the council to provide the way and
the two mentioned are all that available. 1t is either
adopted and this from force of circumstances not from
force applied by the council.
1t behooves every citizen to go the polls and cast his
may very likely do before the bond ISSUE if made is
paid off.
Another argument against giving the council power to
make reassessment is that it may exceed the powers
given it. If this is good argument against these amend
ments it is equally good against the whole charter It
follows naturally if this is sufficient cause for with