East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-10-05
eAuditorium Endorsed After
Discussion Last Evening
by Commercial Association.
PENDLET0N HAS LOWEST
TAX LEVY IN OREGON
Some Opposition Manifested
to Auditorium Move But
Vote Proves Overwhelming.

Action taken by Pendleton CONNER
Clal Association in its membership
meeting last night:
Endorsed as absolute necessities
bond issues for septic tank and ground
in west end of the city and for another
park site.
Went on record in favor of voting
bonds for memorial community audi
torium.
BY inference endorsed increase In
City tax levy from II mills to Is mills,
which will be voted on with the other
measures at the special election this
fall. This increase will apply only for
the one year.
That the municipality of Pendleton
will forthwith start a campaign look
ing toward the voting of bonds of ap-
proxineteiy = ,0ee was presaged last
night in the action taken by the men,
bers of the Pendleton Commercial AS
sociation when endorsement of the or
ganization to three projects was voted
The action followed an explanation of
the situation as 1t now exists which
was made by Mayor g. A. Hartman. A
free for all discussion followed the
mayors speech.
Included by inference in the pro-
gram to which the business men of
the city voted support is the increase
for this year of the mill tax levy from
IL mills to Is mills This question
was barely touched on by different
speakers, and no vote was taken on it,
the temper of the meeting showing
that it was accepted as a necessity on
which there could be no question of
the stand to be taken by the associa-
ton.
Tax Rate Low.
A tax table showing the rates in the
various cities of the state was referred
to by the mayor in his talk, and he
called attention to the fact that at
present Pendleton has the lowest mill
age rate of taxation of any city in the
state. Pointing out that as the city
grows it is necessary to have more
money with which to met the added
expense, the mayor touched on the me-
cessity of voting the millage increase
During many years administrations
of Pendleton have been embarrassed
by a lack of funds with which to dc
the actual constructive things which
were necessary and which they desired
to do" Mr.. Hartman declared. ~
has been the habit to pass these prob
lens on and on, from one administra'
tion to another, and this present ad
ministration realizes that the easy
thing would be for us to do the samt
thing. But there must be a show dowl
some time, and 1t seems to me tina
there will never be a better time thai
now to acquire more property whicl
Pendleton must have before mucl
longer"
Two Absolute Necessities.
The speaker declared that he too
it for granted that everyone woul
grant that there are two necessitie
which the city must have One is
septic tank to take care of the cit
sewage, and the other is sufficient Ian
to provide for adequate campn
grounds. These are investments
land, he pointed out, and in the cas-
of the septic tank, Pendleton will b
merely obeying the laws of the stat
which have been openly violated fc
many years.
In commenting on the need for
septic tank which would refine til
sewage of the city before it is emf
tied into the river, the mayor callc
attention to a statement made by D
w. D. McNary recently in which II
head of the state institution declare
that he could bring an injunctic
against the municipality and have I
sewers closed within "a hours. tt
city has been promising to remedy Il
situation as it now exists. for maj
years and the state board of heal
has been put off innumerable time
That the body's patience has be-
sorely tried by the action of Pendl
ton. was a statement of DIR. McNar
which Mayor Hartman quoted Ia
night.
To Move Dump Grounds.
With the purchase of the west ei
property on which tentative pla
have been made for the construct
of the septic tank, the old dur