The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-09-07
Program Up TO
Jet for Tuesday
City Asks Passage
Of Mill Levy
For Vital Services

a &SS1
the polls Tuesday, Sept. IL, to de-
eide on two ordinances proposing
a one-mill tax for the city's recre-
alton program and a one-mill tax
to raise additional needed funds
for sanitation and garbage dis
posal.
On the basis of assessed prop
erty valuation, each millage tax
will return an annual revenue of
approximately $4,000. The or
dinance proposals were voted
unanimously by Mayor John R,
Watts and Commissioners V. P
DeJean and l.. G.. Beckham.
The polls will open at 7 am.
and close at 6 pm. Election Of
ficials have been named and the
usual polling booths will operate
In the three city precincts: at the
old fire house on Washington
street in South Pascagoula; at the
City Hall in the City Hall pre-
cInct, and at the U.S.O. IN MORT
Pascagoula precinct.
The recreation tax was voted
by the mayor and commissioners
after extensive efforts had been
made to find means for financ-
ing the city's recreation program
for the coming year. The city is
now in possession of approximate
ly $1,000 900 in modern auditorium
facilities, including the modern
new building on Market street
nearing completion. and a smaller
one for colored residents. The
big auditorium, about go percent
complete, is one of the finest in
the south and will afford the city
an opportunity to carry on an ex-
tensive recreation program in the
postwar years following with
drawal of federal funds for such
activities.
Support Up to City
Earlier in the year congress had
authorized a full recreation pro-
gram up to a maximum of $685.
900 for Pascagoula. The federal
government was to furnish eighty
percent Of this amount and the
city twenty percent. However,
the Lanham Act, under which
these wartime expenditures we're
authorized, expired automatically
after the end of the war and the
city must undertake the whole
support for the recreation pro-
gram during the coming three
fiscal quarters, which begin on
Oct. /.
The city officials have made a
detailed study of plans by which
the recreation building can be
used for revenue purposes which
will both tie into a sound recrea-
ton program and carry a good
part of the overall costs. Once the
new building is opened it is
planned to install a rental Ii
brary, also a number of bowling
alleys under an arrangement
which h a S been used in many
parts of the country, by which a
bowling company builds the
alleys on liberal credit terms,
being paid off by assignment of a
stipulated amount of the revenues.
In the meantime, however, be-
fore the revenue raising program
can get under wav, the city con-
siders it necessary to carry on es-
sential recreation outlets such as
supervised swimming at the
beach and other activities. There
are not sufficient funds for this
in the general fund which have
not been budgeted for other pur-
poses and the mayor and COM
missioners say it is necessary to
set a one-mill tax in order that
a vital program may go on.
Rise in Costs
The sanitation tax is made nee
essary, Mayor Watts said, by the
fact that the cost of garbage dis
posal has risen steadily until it is
now at the figure of $3.50 a
month. Additional revenue is
needed to meet the increased costs,
he said.
Mayor Watts pointed out that,
while the two millage taxes were
considered vital, the voters should
understand that both are to be