San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-23

COullOTt VI dil 10 prOttCttu anu SAtehu
ed, and for the further very special
reason that every public improvement
advances the taxable values IN the dis
trict where the improvement is made
and these advance tax values bring In
a larger revenue with which to oper-
ate our city government.
Illustration ~ "A" owns lot in
Highland Park. Before his street was
macadamized, Oh u valuation of $500
he paid a tax into the city treasury
of $500 annually. Bonds were voted
III his district and he now pays 10
cents extra on the 500 valuation to
pay off these bonds. These street i'm
provements for which he and his
neighbor pay without any help from
the rest of us, has increased the value
of his lot and this year, paying on
valuation of $1,000 he pays into our
city treasury taxes amounting to So.
an increase of S16.40 annually.
Illustration (2). "A" owns bust
ness lot near river. Assessed at $780,
900 he pays into our city treasury
$1,000 each year for taxes. With a
bond issue defeated and all prospects
for flood prevention lost his lot is over
Ndlutu Oh 10 per Scft anu shouiu Az
fairness be reduced that much on our
tax rolls. Instead of getting this $1,000
the city would then receive only $1466
or 1874 less on this one lot. This one
item of 1874 would be but drop in
the bucket" but when you are re-
minded that about $S0,O00,0C0 in val
ues is affected in the same way. you
will realize how serious it would be if
S26.0G0.000 should be stricken from
assessed values and the more than
half million dollars lost to the city in
taxes. by reason of such reduction.
placed on other taxpayers to meet this
deficiency.
Should this nefarious zone system
be extended and "a" be required to
align himself with others owning
property in the flooded area and vote
upon himself an extra tax of 20 cents
in order toshold his value up to $780,
coo he would pay the regular tax of
1920 plus the special tax of 5000 and
1874 would be the profit to tax payers
generally who do not pay any part of
the tax which creates this added
value to his lot. This would not be
fair and just.
Values estimated at SS0.000,000 in
the flood district. if adjusted on our
tax rolls allowing 33 Is per cent off
for reasonable depreciation on account
of flood dangers. would cause def
cheney of more than $4,000 in city
collections and require an increase in
the tax rate of Mt least 81 cents to
care for the present city budget.
Would it not be fair for our city
commissioners, who will soon have
their regular annual setting as an
equalization board. to pass resolu-
ton granting such cut in valuation
as they deem reasonable. on all nron-
erty assessed for taxation in the flood
cd district such reduction to take eff
feet conditioned that the voters refuse
to approve the issuance of bonds for
this protection to the value of their
property as valued bv tho assessor on
the assumption thot flood relief would
be oiven them?
the voters will rally at the nolls and
approve the issuance of bonds in anv
reasonable amount. for flood proven
ton. when they are convinced of four
thinos:
First: That no thought Is enter
tanned of constructing dam above
our city that will retain a gallon of
wafer after flood.
Sccond-Thrt with fixed purnose in
mind TO strHighten. widen and deenen
the river channel through the civ.
sufficient money is included in the is
su" IN cornleie this work.
Third-That options on land re-
uuired. which may be inundated in
time of flood. above city in the o.
mos valley. and for cuts in STRAIGHT
ening the river channel. be obtained in
advance nv the city. and their cost
made public. so to convince the voters
there is no real estate sneculation by
promoters in the enterprise.
Fourth-That the issue be city
wide. with sufficient sum asked for
TO retire all snecinl Improvement dis
trict or zone bonds now outstanding
so all tax payers are placed on an
equal footing.
So very imnortant is this river i'm
movement and flood prevention Milan
that we. who feel Interested. should all
put our shoulders to the wheel and Use
every honorable means Mt our CON-
m"nd TO hav" only this one matter sub
mitted at this time.
However meritorious many Of those
other matters being tnll;Sd about for
submission. may appear. il viii 'iknlv
oc"u- to the average voter that this
one flood prevention nlan in which mil
liors is 10 he spent. is n largo enough
for our commissioners 81
this time-and os"d~irlly when It is
rr'"mberrd that ""sides the ordina~~
routine which calls fo- the experdi-
tyre Of about three millions nnnra'lr.
thcre is still 1vin" in tho hank Of thu
CITY MANY hundreds of thousands Of