Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-03-19
A FEW WORDS TO PROPERTY OWNERS IN OUT.
LYING DISTRICTS


nxx1HAT an Abuttng Property Paving Law Really
w Means" is subject that will be discussed at a
luncheon meeting Of the Chamber Of Commerce TO be
held in the Hotel dupont at tomorrow.
The object ofthat meeting may be to give the members
the Legislature the impression that the people OF
Wilmington in favor Of the bill now in Dover
which provides the bulk of the cost Of street paw
ing in streets not already paved shall be assessed
against the private property fronting such streets
The fact that such assessments have been made
against private properties in streets already paved
but that such paving has been paid for by taxes col
lected from the property Of the city at large
for little or nothing in the eyes OF those who
advocate the passage OF the abutng property paving
law.
1t is not proposition
is that has been sent 10 Legislature after Legis
ature
Because of its manifest unfairness TO men and
women who have bought lots and built houses in the
newer sections OF our CITY, It has been defeated as
often II has been sent 70 Dover.
It cannot be supported on the plea OF fairness
The only plea that be made for it is one Of
cessity
The plea Of necessity is not Justified
The people in those newer sections OF our city have
been paying taxes to assist in paving the streets in
the older sections and to keep them in repair.
They have relied upon repeated promises that in
time tho taxes from those paved sections would be
used 10 pave the unpaved sections.
And now, after the older sections have been paved
along this proposition that the property
in tho sections having done their full duty to
the property in the paved sections. shall cheer
fully submit not only to pay their fair share OF taxes
under tho general levy but also 20 have special and
burdensome levied against their properties
TO pave the streets in front OF them.
We deem it our duty to advise readers who are
property owners in the sections Of the city that
determined effect is about to DO made to shove the
paving assessment bill through the Legislature against
them.
It is to be defeated they must act by protesting TO
tho members OF the Legislature against unfair
deal being handed them after they. through their
taxes have helped TO pave and maintain the streets in
the older sections OF the city.
Property owners in parts OF the Second, Fifth.
Seventh. Ninth. Eleventh and Twelfth wards would be
particularly affected in pocket by the proposed law.
They should insist that same plan infinitely more
fair TO them be devised before the Legislature acts
Baltimore. for instance has worked out a street paw
ing plan which. while not absolutely perfect equity
between property in tho older and the newer
sections. Is far ahead OF tho raw one that It is pro-
posed shall be inflicted upon the property owners in
the newest sections OF Wilmington.
As the situation stands II the property owners
in the newer sections OF city desire 10 pay direct
street paving assessments that have been paid by
property owners in the older sections all they have
do is to sit back quietly and let the promoters OF the
plan shove it through the Senate and the House on
the ground that it is necessary and unopposed.
On the other hand, il the property owners in those
newer sections do not want to pay such direct as
sessments, based upon abuttng frontage and running
into big money, they will demonstrate to the Legsla
ture that there is serious opposition to such an I'M
Just scheme and that any street paving plan adopted
must have for one OF its supports the element Of a
square deal to the newer districts, in which men and
women have invested their money with the reasonable
and confident expectation that they would get square
deal from the older sections which their money has
helped to improve.