Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-08-26


improvements, the public debt today
, is at the lowest point in the past 40
years, and we have the following
August /:
Street Main. ------------ 811.47
Gas Tax 1,06427
Sinking Fund ---------- 2,319.O3
These sums are ample for the re-
quirements for the remainder of the
term.
5. We have secured the adoption
of debt refunding' program which
will provide some additional funds
for the village and which will re-
duce the tax burden in McConnels.
vile.
6. We have secured the adoption
of measure to authorize council TO
deal with the Ohio Fuel Gas cOm-
pany, in the interests of fair rate
for McConnelsville consumers.
7. The unparalleled rains of the
spring and summer have done con-
siderable damage to our streets, and
that damage is rapidly being repair
ed The above outline of our
achievements is by no means COM
plete. but I want every councilman
to know that I appreciate the vast
amount Of time you have each given
to the towns service.
The following problems remain to
be acted upon by you and your sue
cessors:
First: The 1900 assessment
for flood control was appealed by me
pursuant to your direction. That
case will not be heard for some time
and / recommend that you carry on
the fight against that unreasonable
assessment. First, because it will
deplete the towns revenue by ap-
proximately $500 per year. and Sec
ond, because it is excessive due to
the fact that all the floods we have
had during the present term have
not cost the village treasury more
than 500.
Second: The county budget com-
mission has withheld $674 from our
general revenue fund to finance in
creased salaries at the Simpson IL
brary. This deduction will serious
1y impair the towns operating in
come and may make necessary the
curtailment of some services such as
street lighting or fire protection, to
balance the budget next year. The
budget commission and the public
should appreciate that when the
county and state divert revenues
originally voted to local govern
ments for other purposes, that some
functions of local government must
be eliminated. The proposed dedur-
tion of the budget commission is
equal to the towns lighting bill for
four months; the people voted a
levy to pay the lighting bill and for
additional lighting service, and it is
unfair to the tax payer to tax him
for services and then to eliminate
those services.
I have presented this matter to
the budget commission and respect
fully suggest that you gentlemen
continue to insist upon the full pay
ment of the revenue voted to you by
the people of McConnelsville.
Third: The voters in adopting
the debt refunding program have
automatically reduced the tax rate
by 7-10 of a mill. This releases u
mills to the general fund OF McCon-
nelsville or approximately $2.100.
recommend that council release one
mill of the two mill levy voted by
the people and give the tax payers q
further reduction Of taxes. The
adoption of that measure will reduce
the tax rate in McConnelsville by
approximately eight percent. This
measure is necessary due to the fact
that re-appraisal Of the property ia
being undertaken by the county In
which a five percent increase in tax
valuation is the apparent goal.
Fourth: 1 recommend that coun-
Gil Immediately proceed to correct
the tax returns of the Ohio Fuel Gas
company, since the small property
owners and working people OF MO
Connelsville are now facing increas-