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Show CITY WORK NEEDS PUSHING. The report of thc Council Committee-on Committee-on Municipal Laws, with the Committee' Commit-tee' on Streets associated, on the question ques-tion of requiring advance pay of special spec-ial aioessnlents for Improvements, states the case forcibly. "A large percentage per-centage of the abutting property-owners fall to pay In their proportions of said toxes until compelled to do so, on the ground that they wish to pee come visible vis-ible Indications that said Improvements will be made without a long dclaV." That is It, exactly. Tho people are wary, on account of the cheerful custom cus-tom which has for so many years prevailed pre-vailed that the common memory fails to recall when It was not, of tying up tho peoplo's money In a proposed improvement im-provement that may never have been begun at ail or else, If begun, not finished. fin-ished. Thc Council has prepctrated ro many "jokes" of this kind that it is no wonder the taxpayers wait for some visible vis-ible sign of good faith beforo paying In their money. The committee calls attention further to anothor class whlph refuses to pay until compelled, because these composing compos-ing It do not want the Improvement or any improvement which costs them anything; this leaves a very small class of the third division, composed of persons per-sons who "pay their assessment at onco and are therefore continually complaining com-plaining that the work for which thoy have paid Is not done." And they have a right to complain; but heretofore their complaining has been In vain; their ia iiuiu, tlliu lliVi UUII I WilUL they have paid for. Obviously this system is altogether unfair; besides, it defeats the very purpose pur-pose for which the Improvement Is ordered. or-dered. If an Improvement Is to be held up for tho lack of voluntary payments on its cost. It Is manifest that the withholding with-holding of the payments will defeat the Improvement. But under thc customary practice, the taxpayers are fully justified justi-fied in withholding their cash; those who do pay quickly and voluntarily arc forced to complain continually that tho work for which they have paid Is not done. Thc sure way, thc quick way, tho practical way, to get publio improvements improve-ments made after they are ordered. Is to go on and do them, forcing the payment pay-ment as rapidly as possible from all unwilling un-willing proprietors, and accepting tho payments of the prompt and willing ones, with thanks. Another thing might well be abandoned aban-doned by the Council. That Is, the old-timo old-timo practice, continued right along, of assessing a good deal more against the abutting properties than the improvements improve-ments cost, and hanging on to the surplus sur-plus beyond all reason, and until the people become exasperated. Prompt enforcement of improvements, collecting no' more than Is necessary! and such refunding to the taxpayers of any surplus fund remaining, would put quite a different face on municipal improvements, im-provements, and wo believe that it would be found to be a good thing to cut loose altogether from tho practices heretofore prevailing, and give thc people peo-ple a businesslike deal In this whole matter. |
