The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1917-01-05
MAYOR BRUMBY ASKS
WHY DON'T YOU"
PAVE To WIN

why in the world don't you
pave the square?"
How many people have asked me
That in the last few days?
Well, why don't YOU pave it?
1t is not in my power to pave the
square and one block in each di-
rection. If it was, believe me, 1t
would surely be paved.
Now, for the facts about the
case. First it is necessary to get
an engineer to tell us the exact cost
or very close to what it should cost,
to do this paving. We have the
engineer, and ne is on the job, and
has about completed his figures on
the work. He is figuring on paw
mig the square, curblng the park
and putting down new sidewalks
with curbing all around tn
square and one block in every di-
rection. If we are going to do it
we ALL want to see it done we'll.
We have been long time talking
about it, so if we do pave let's have
a job we will ALL be proud of.
Next comes the money part and
the law. The law says, zone third
to the property holders, one third
to the car company and one third
to the city" Why not the city
pay its third? Let all the tax pay
ers put their shoulders to the
wheel. 1t doesn't matter where
you own property, it will help you
and your town.
The man who gets the biggest
benefit is the man who lives nearest
the square, and ne pays the most
tax. We benefit about in proper
tion to the taxes we pay.
Now here is the city's condition.
1t is Just about even or out of
debt. While we are borrowing So
600, we have assets even more than
that in unpaid taxes. Now to pay
our part of the paving will put the
city about $4,000 to $4,000 back
in debt, but we nave a twenty year
pavement to show for it and
PRACTICALLY NO money to spend
on the square and one block off.
Now this business section of the
city is costing the city at least
$4,000 per year to keep up like it
is, so why not make this paw cement
improvement and save this sprink-
ling and MUD hauling.
Now listen to this. The Public
Square-The Public Park. Who
owns the park? The City does |
Well then, the city should come in
for its one-third as a PROPERTY |
HOLDER, by the number of feet
around the park, and also one third
by the law which requires the city
to pay one third, not only on the |
square, but one block off. The
city is HIT HARD, but it doesn't |
amount to as much as you think, |
and makes it absolutely fair to the |
property owners facing the park.
Now, by the city owning the park,
it brings the property owners share
down to very reasonable figure,
and cant see how any one can
possibly kick about it.
Now, last of ALL will the tax rate
be raised? NO! and especially as
long as / can fight to keep it down.
We will not raise the assessments
on the business property. Why |
should we? We won't have to
spend anything for repairs on the
pavement for long time. We have
enough tax money now to get out
Of debt SO it will be easy to get out
of debt incurred by paving and
have the paving to SHOW FOR TT.
am not in favor OF either raising
the taxes or cutting them. We
nave the rest OF the city to care
for and how | do wish we could
give every one a good sidewalk and
street
1t is certainty disheartening to
me, and l know to every citizen to
see our smooth streets of a month /
ago now all mud.
l will do my best to put better
top dressing on the streets off of the
square this year.
1t is waste Of money to keep
hauling dirt to the square. where
most Of Marietta's traffic is, to fill
up holes which will be caused by
such weather conditions as we have
had this past week. This is what
has been done ever since Marietta
was town and know there isn't
a citizen who IS satisfied with the
looks and the condition Of the square