Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-03-06
TO OBTAIN BENEFITS
FOR attn CLASS CITIES
Strong Organization Is Effected
And Plans Made For Needed
Legislation

Richmond is interested in the
Organization being perfected by
officials of Fourth and Fifth Class.
cities of Kentucky, looking
toward obtaining legislation and
other benefits for cities Of these
two size. The local Council at
recent meeting authorized Mayor
l.. T. Evan to join the association
ON behalf of this city. The
Uniontown Telegram gives de-
tails of the proceedings, purposes,
etc, as outlined at the first meet
ing of such officials. 1t said:
More than forty Mayors and a
number than forty Mayors and af
of the fourth and fifth class met at the
Tyler hotel in Louisville and formed
permanent organization for the pur-
pose of promoting the interests of
fourth and fifth class cities, of Ken
lucky. Permanent officers were elect
ed as follows: w. S. Withers, Gym
thiana, president; w. w. Van Deren,
Cynthiana, secretary; Leon Rothchild,
Shelbyville, treasurer. An executive
Committee of five was named. The
members are: T. A. Balsley, Ludlow;
V. L. Spalding, Uniontown; o. T.
George, Mayfield; E. B. January,
Paris; c. L. Tartar, Somerset. This
committee is to meet twice year on
the first Monday of February and July
and oftener upon call of the president
The Legislative Committee composed
of the following members; Dennis
Dundon, Paris; G. L. Drury, Nor
garfield; W. J. Kern, Sturgis; D. A.
Sacks, Eminence, and John Barrick-
man, Shelbyville. V. L.. Spalding, IN
iontown, was made chairman of the
publicity committee and instruced to
select the members of that committee.
One of the first things the organi-
zation has undertaken is to ask for
legislation that will give to cities
of the fourth and fifth classes an
equitable division of the county road
and bridge fund for the building and
maintenance of streets in said cities.
dennis Dundon, Paris; and Lucian
Drury, Morganfield, were sent to
Frankfort to promote the passage of
measure that will give to certain
cities their just proportion of county
funds. As it now stands the cities
pay the major portion of the county
taxes and get nothing from that fund
for city purposes.
In Union county Morganfeld, I'm
iontown and Sturgis pay more than
one fourth Of the road and bridge tax
and get not cent of the road and
bridge fund. What is true in Union
county is likewise true in practically
all of the other counties of the state
the cities pay the taxes and the
county gets the money.
Members of the recently formed and
above named organization believe this
is unfair and unjust and will seek to
get back the money they pay to the
county for city purposes.
Seeking legislation will be small
feature of the work of this organiza
ton. Collective buying will come in
for consideration.
For instance, next spring these
cities will want to oil their streets.
Instead of each city going out alone
in the market to buy oil and thus
pay exorbitant prices all the cities
wanting oil will join and buy together
in great quantity and in this way get
far better prices and service. Many
other things of a helpful character
will be sought and accomplished as the
time and occasions present them
selves.
At the meeting great interest was
shown. 1t was the unanimous report
from fourth and fifth cities that each
of them is facing a crisis. The pass
ing of John Barleycorn and the
revenue he formerly produced and the
law exempting intangible property
and manufacturing machinery from.
taxation for municipal purposes, have
worked hardship in a financial way
on small cities that is hard to meet
and overcome. The revenue has been
reduced and the expenses of operat-
ing greatly increased, therefore, the
situation is serious and something
must be done.
Tax payers of the county should
be reasonable and just.
They should be willing for the cities