The Wilmington morning star., 1945-11-05
0PP0NENTSBLAST
EXTENSION PLANS
Continued from Page One)

sion to hold, an election to annex
itself to the City Of Charlotte. This
same method was permitted to be
used in Wilmington where the situa-
ton was entirely opposite. With a
very influential Committee repre-
senting Wilmington interests in
Raleigh, a much fairer election
could have been obtained.
Fifth: The Bill. drafted, approx
ed by the General Assembly then
submitted to the City Council for
signature was signed by the re-
quired number Of Councilmen-
however-one Councilman refused
to affix his signature, as stated
IN the local newspapers, because
he was not convinced that the City
was able to provide the improve
ments designated in the Bill, how
ever he did sign later, but this
fact was not made public until
Nov. 8. The improvements and
services to be given are not con-
sistent with the estimated cost
of these items.
| Sixth: The City Of Wilmington
has repeatedly stated as its pur-
pose in extending the limits, to
increase its population so that the
forthcoming census next one will
be 1850 will show a substantial
increase in population thereby at
tracing industry.
The 1850 census will show an in
tlux Of population with or without
extension of city limits, Whining
ton has already added new indus
tries and has already adopted
many immigrants as result OF
war industries located here, many
of these people have left their old
jobs but a goodly number have
taken on new ones here. In plan
ming the new limits the City has
considered only residential SUI
burbs, failing to include valuable
potential industrial properties as
well as already established indus
tries.
Seventh: The City Of Whining
ton has endeavored to promote its
own ideas only, unmindful of the
effect upon others.
Eighth: Newspapers and radio
have been unusually uncooperative
in their mild effort to demonstrate
the right of free speech.
Ninth: The Bill provides for rep
resentatives to the City Council
from the areas to be annexed.
These representatives were ap-
pointed and not elected, and are
men who are decidedly in favor
with the Bill.
Tenth: The City Of Wilmington
has proved that it is incapable Of
properly managing it's own city
| without grasping for more.
Beyond the unfair principles in
volved in the Extension Bill, the
Committee Opposed to City Ex-
| tension has repeatedly assailed the
present system of municipal ad-
ministration OF government. True
the opponents of the Bill are not
responsible for the municipal gov
eminent, because the majority of
these people live without the City,
but, having been assailed as "ene-
mics of progress" because we de-
sire our right to live in the suburbs
has given us our license to defend
ourselves against that which we
feel is either detrimental or nom
profiting to us.
We have earnestly endeavored
to bring forth the truth as we
found it, painful as it may seem,
often hurting those we love and
respect, but nevertheless out OF
necessity in defence Of our rights
as citizens of Free Country. The
entire Extension program, when
placed on a diminishing scale is
not unlike John Doe confiscating
John Jones farm because he likes
the pasture-land or the water
rights which he does not have on
his own farm. How can he do that,
why not? He has a family Of five
whereas Jones is a bachlor. H.
logical? No, only on a smaller
scale.
A promise of no increase in the
tax-rate is comparatively simple,
yet this promise can be kept, but
! taxes can still go up. How? BY the
same old subterfuge as used in
many cities, increasing the as
sessable valuation Of properly. For
example to raise the tax-rate to
$162 per $4,000 valuation would
cause a near riot, but to raise the
assessed valuation of your proper
ty from five to six thousand dol
lars would be within the promise
of the City, yet you would pay
S162 per $4,000 OF assessed valua-
ton just the same. The fact that
taxes must rise is inevitable, if
the suburbs are annexed Whining
ton will be larger city, and I'M
less the annexed areas are self
sustaining they will be burden.
. To be self-sustaining a community
must have margin of profit on it's
enterprises whether private or COM
mercial, in order to balance de-
probation. The proposed areas for
annexation are not self-sustaining
and will therefore bring burden
to bear on the already over-burden-
ed City of Wilmington.
Capt. Walter Webb, Jr.
Arrives On West Coast