The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-11-18
INVESTMENT AND TAXES.

'VHlf OF 'hI N''l'i' al' b'l'i''''F '''''' ''''
over tho taxation aspect Of the watcr project
others merely rulso the question Tor the purpose
OF confusion and opposition There is way
to hlnI, this matter out clearly ana accurately.
or course tho water project win Increase taxes
some The question Is whether or not the COM
pletcd project will be worth tho additional taxes
We will all bc required to pay. No individual
afraid Of increased taxes ever makes money
for himself or accomplishes anything for his
community,
II you make any kind Of an Investment Il
means that you win bo required to pay nddi-
tional taxes. for Increased property values
mean Increased taxes. Men would not 10 into
business would not construct great buildings
drill oil wells build rcfineries, pave strocts
build sidewalks or act up factories. II the queH-
tion OF taxation deferred them.
Taxation is Incidental to every other consld
GRAFTON. You want 20 own n lot Tho very
ambition predlsposcs that you win become a
taxpayer After you have your lot II IL n part
OF your ambition to erect homo on IT, Yet
that increased taxation or course. you
feel that tho erection OF house on your lot
will create dn unearncd increment and will
add to your values that the tax matter is merely
Incidental And you right
Precisely tho same thing applies to secur-
Ing an unlimited supply of pure water FOR your
city You must have water Just az you must
have house on your lot. sidewalk around
your lot and paved street in front OF IT, Each
one of these accomplishments gives you an I'M
earned increment--that Is AN increased value
greater than tho mere cost
So with water, Tho bringing OF spavinnw
water to Tulsa will give every property owner
in Tulsa an unearncd increment. for It is AN
investment IN an absolute necessity. You say
that shrubbery In your yard and 4 well-kept
lawn is not an absolute necessity. yot by making
such investment you add value generally
ognized, quite aside from the keen satisfaction
you feel IN the possession OF such property,
The unearned increment flowing from the
realization OF this spaNnaw water project win
be manifest IN various ways other than merely
giving to each ctizcn supply OF good pure
water for his own use. lie will be freed from
the necessity Of buying drinking water an itcm
that fuclusles according to the necessities OF
the citizen. In tho small home Il may amount
20 not more than so cents week. or S26 a year;
but In many other instances It viii reach $3.50 a
week or SIS year. while IN atm other cpscs
the yearly cost win be two and three times
greater than even tho lattor figure,
OF course one win contend that the in
crease In taxes consequent upon the cost OF tho
water project would equal this saying in water
purchases. Then thero Is TO be talfcu into con-
sidcraton the saving to be realized in the cost
on plumbing and radiator repairs, on lawns In
surancc etc, And, above an, the outstanding
advantage which win accrue to Tulsa by reason
OF having a wotor supply universally recognized
as far botter than any other city In the south
west can secure
This that It win be an industrla
simulant which will increase tho population OF
Tulsa, its ray roll, It's manufacturing output
and its accessible porperty. It meanH OF course
that the cost OF the water project per citzcr
will be greatest nt the moment Spaylnaw water
first arrives because al that moment the water
consumption viii be at It's lowest and the mum,
ber Of taxpayers at their lowest; that from that
time forward all costs win bc on "a sliding seal,
downward, until when the project ia paid for
and probably long before the water depart
ment will be on a proflt returning basis.
II is very much IL you, Mr., Individual CIT
teen, required some furniture for your home IT
order that you might proftably rent out
room You anticipate your earnings. capitalz,
the prospect and assume a slowly maturing OBJ
legation thar you may have the furniture at
once and pay for it while you are using it not
only pay for IT, hut YOU realize a profit ON Il
the whno,
The wholc question SIS one OF Investment The
spavinaw water project Ia a good investment
the best Tulsa has ever had the opportunity to
accept. 1t means splendid returns for every
citizen In the city whether such citizen viii be
required to pay taxes and water charges directly
or merely expects 20 become beneficiary
through paying both indirectly. Ana the in.
Nes'ment Is very largely an Investment in IN,
labor OF our own folk
This project should not be lightly eonsidere,