The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-01-10
PUBLIC OPINION
subject invited these
columns Writer'S must be given but may
be withheld from print II desired.
Turn to Constructive Thinking,
Tax Payers Association Urged

Having heard OF the Ypsilanti
Tx Payers Association but never
having attended one OF their meet
ings, when ! read in Mondays
Press OF the police meeting with
the Tax Payers group at the high
school auditorium, attended.
question II many-it any at all-of
the Junior Chamber OF Commerce
members sponsoring the Tax Pay
ers Association are completely
aware OF what the initial cost was
to the tax payers of Ypsilanti for
its present City Hall which in
cludes: city jail, detention room
and various social agencies. city
clerks Office. city treasurer's office.
assessors office, justice of the
peace, sewer department, council
meeting room, and welfare direc.
tor, plus garage for the storage of
city owned and operated vehicles.
II the citizens OF Ypsilanti re.
fresh their memories they will re-
II that D. L. Quirk. Jr., my father,
Mrs. Z. C. Cornwell, Mrs. Lizzie
@. Younglove. and Mrs. Nancy Q,
Terrier, all three sisters and my
three aunts, collectively donated
the present City Hall, garage, and
all property extending to the river
TO the City OF Ypsilanti on January
1914, A deed was also given to
the city covering this gift with Ger,
tain specified instructions as TO
what could or could not be done
with the property.
1t would not be at all difficult 10
easily prove that many of the stipu,
lations as set forth in this deed
had OF been lived up TO by the City
OF Ypsilanti. At the time OF the
original gift there was no indica
ton by the city that part OF the
City Hall as given by the grantors
would b. used as a city jail or a
place to keep hobos, DRINKS. OF
other undesirables. The present
City Hall was the home OF my
grandparents in which my father
and his three sisters lived through
all their childhood. | wonder If the
gift would have been made had the
grdntors known to what extent
their old homestead would eventu
ally be used. II the grantors now
| decide that the deed has been suf
! ficiently violated, the property re
verts to the grantors or their he rs
and the city would over night fine
itself without a: city Jail, detention
room and various social agencies
city clerks Office, city treasurer
offlces assessors Office. justice o.
the peace. sewer department, coun
ell meeting room, welfare director
or garage.
The purpose OF the meeting Mon
day night from the Tax Payer
| Association angle was to prov,
that our present Police Department
administration 4 Police Commits
| sion were operating at a higher cos
per $1,000 assessed property valua
ton than other cities. .,Figurei
were given. which | didn't copy
proving that cost for the running o
on: present Police Department will
its complete force is less per s1,00
assessed property valuation thai
a good many other cities in on
sta.e-even cities that are not Il
the Detroit Metropolitan area.
wonder II any OF those presen
at Monday nights meeting hav
ever had the "prowler" In thei
home. | have. The prowler wa
on the second floor of my home
few years ago at . o'clock In tn
morning In the bedroom OF Mrs
Quirk. threatening her with lea
pipe or revolver unless she turnet
over money to him. That sam
prowler is now behind prison bar
thanks to the efforts of the loca
police and in particular to one pei
son who was present at last night
meeting as an interested listener
am sure that If any Of the men
bers of the Tax Payers Associatio
have experienced similar contac
with the "prowler" or II any G
their neishbors have, they would
in my estimation. be lacking /
red blood il they were not willin
to pay a higher tax than at preser
to forestall the possibility OF an
recurrence.
Iunderstand-but | cant say TIL
with authority as 1t has come I
me second.hand--that the Tia
Payers Association feel that III
work on the skating rink on III
high school football field a poo
use of the tax payers moneys.
| am correct believe skated wit
one of the members Of the Tia
Payers Association on the loo