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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1955)
EIGHT MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE Thursday, June 23, 1955 (Editor's note: The proposed annexation of some 3,000 acres east, south and west of Medford has evoked considerable controversy in and around Medford, and the debate on the pros and cons of the proposal is continuing. Prior to the election on July 5, it is the hope of the Mail Tribune that all aspects of the plan can be presented publicly. Several views are pre sented on these pages today. One article has been prepared by Guy Corliss, chairman of the board of directors of the Charlotte Ann Water district, who gives the basis for his opposition to the measure. His arguments are representative of a number of those who oppose the plan. Another article is based on information furnished by city officials mostly in response to Corliss' article. A third reports questions raised by a committee opposing "mass annexation," and a fourth reports a talk by Mayor Earl Miller in which he states that no one is trying to "high pressure" a favorable vote, but points out that the problems involved are serious ones for everyone involved.) 'Mass Annexation' Opposed by Group of Residents; List of Questions Proposed for Study A committee of residents op nosed to "mass annexation" plans of the city has invited city officials, residents of the affected area, and others interested, to a meeting on the subject in the courthouse auditorium at 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 28. Committee chairman is Char les Bennett, Marshall ave., and secretary is Linna Dunivent. Peach st. Other members are M. D. Borough, Meyers Lane; Carol Hays, Kings Highway; Joy Swartsley, Jane rd.; Lee Hobbs, West Main st., and George Fra zier, Murphy rd. Van Dyke and Dellenback, attorneys, repre sent the group. A list of questions has been prepared by the group to be distributed to residents within the proposed annexation area, and those attending the Tuesday meeting. The questions are: (1) Do you want city life? (2) Were you consulted on mass annexation before bound- city hall for permit, conformity aries were set and present pro posals submitted? (3) What additional advant ages in sanitation facilities ac crue to the property owners through annexation which are not available through the pro visions of the Lowry bill? (4) Do you know how the city ordinances will affect your coun try style of living? (5) Do you realize that re gardless of present representa tions, the city council has the power to change your means of livelihood? (6) Do you realize that no lo cal governments are made after annexation without petition? (7) Does anyone known when, what, where or how any of the so-called benefits or improve ments will occur? (8) Do you realize that after annexation you can't alter: your electric facilities, water lines, buildings, fences or other im provements without going to the : to code, and inspection? (9) Do you know that a 20 mill levy means a tax change of $20 for each $1,000 of asses sed valuation? Have you figured such a millage against your new assessed valuation? (10) Can you afford proposed improvements such as streets, sewer, water, street lights, and increased taxes? (11) Have you determined if this annexation will divide your property? (12) Do you realize that your property after annexation im mediately becomes liable for bonded debt of 3V million, as well as remaining subject to bonds and assessments already on your property? (13) What are you going to do with your livestock, poultry, pets, orchards, and other agri cultural lands? (14) Do you want to be subject to the whims of Medford city government? EMIT ID IE JVll MM 608 East Main Phone 2-6805 Shop the Easy Way Free Delivery Open a Charge Account Park FREE at Union Oil Get the Best and Northern Stamps Too! Open 8 am. till 7 p.m. Sunday 10 a .m. - 6 p.m. ' See Ken or Lee for the Best Meats in Medford Armour's Star Skinless Miners 43 CELLO PACK POUND PURE FRESH GROUND GBEEF 3 lbs- S9 ARMOUR'S STAR SLICED V LomieDess EBeeif Cfoast lb- G5 B.0EUNG GBEEIF 2-25 FANCY RED BLUFF TILTON APRICOTS lug 1.89 STRAWBERRIES NOW IS THE TIME TO CAN FRESH, LOCAL FLAT X.Y CUCUMBERS 3,., 25c Vine ripened lb. AVOCADOS 2 , 19c Slid mnnicET OF MEDFO&0 OREGON WE GIVE NORTHERN STAMPS fe08 EAST MAIN Sr. TELEPHONE 2-6805 3 Only Medford Residents Can Decide on Annexation, Mayor Points Out; Reasons Listed Only the residents of South Medford can decide in an elec tion July 5 whether or not they wish more than 3,000 acres an nexed to the city of Medford. Mayor Earl Miller has pointed out that annexation will be "en tirely up to the people in the area." If annexation is approved, City Manager Robert Duff said, it will be necessary for the city to underwrite the area for seve ral years before enough revenue is realizd from South Medford to financially support city services after annexation. No 'Bonanxa' "Annexation will be no bonan za to the city," Duff said. "It will take a large outlay to pro vide city services" in the area. No Connection Duff said the city election July 5 for approval on an excess over the 6 per cent limitation has no direct connection with annexation, and added that city levies will not be administered in the area before fiscal year 1956-57 if annexation is ap proved. Mayor Miller said recently the city "is not after money from the area," rather the city desires planned development in a rapid ly expanding 'area, to provide city services which should be ex tended into fringe areas, and to correct as soon as possible ad verse sanitary conditions. Proposal Publicized Annexation received its first publicity March 15, when ap proximate boundaries were list ed in a Mail Tribune news story. Boundaries were listed again June 1, following a council meeting at which annexation ordinances were adopted. Offi cial city description of boundar ies and ordinances calling for elections in the area will have been published the required four times in four weeks prior to the election, Duff said. Insurance rates quoted in an earlier Mail Tribune story were based on rates according to the Oregon Insurance Rating bureau, Duff said. Rates Listed Rates on a frame house with composition roof in the Medford Rural Fire district are 60 cents per $100 for buildings and 64 cents per $100 for contents if the residence is within 500 feet of a fire hydrant. On a three year policy with $6,000 insur ance on the building and $2,000 on its contents, the rate would be $48.80, or $16.26 per year, as stated in the earlier story. Duff said rating bureau fig ures on insurance for residences not within 500 feet of a fire hy drant and in the Medford Rural Fire district are 70 cents per $100 for the building and 74 cents per $100 for contents. City rates, based on bureau figures, Duff said, are 40 cents per $100 for the building, and 50 cents per $100 for contents. Based on $6,000 for building in surance and $2,000 contents in surance, city rates would be $37.60 for three years, and $12.53 for one year. Duff said he did not know where Guy Corliss obtained in surance rate figures he quoted in a story which appears elsewhere on this page. Millage Figures Correct Duff said millage figures quoted by Corliss were correct, and that levies after annexation would, based on present valua tion, increase 17.6 mills. He pointed out, however, that Cor liss apparently did not take into consideration less expensive wat er and .sanitation monthly charges should the area be annexed.- Charges for water and sani tation will be considerably less4! than residents of the areas now pay if annexation is approved, Duff said. The cost of 8,000 gal lons of water, which is the aver age amount used in the proposed annexation . area, is $1.92 per month and $23.04 per year in side the city. In surrounding water district, the same amount of water costs Charlotte Ann Water district residents $4.50 monthly or $43.80 annually. Costs on the same amount of water in other districts are: Jacksonville, $4.15 monthly, $49.80 annually; Kings Highway district, $4.25 monthly, $51 an nually; Myers Lane district, $3.65 monthly, $43.80 annually; and for individual users, $3.65 monthly, $43.80 annually. Savings On Water Duff pointed out individual savings on water charges, in those district would be: $30.96 annually in Charlotte Ann: $26.76 annually in Jacksonville district; $27.96 annually in Kings Highway district; $20.76 annually in Myers Lane district; and for individual users, $20.76 annually. The figures, Duff said, were compiled by water commission employees on the basis of an average use of 8,000 gallons per month. Duff said sanitary service charges also would decrease if the area is annexed. District portions annexed, Duff said, would remain respon sible for indebtedness if annexa tion is approved, and pointed out that future improvements would be done by petition to the city council. -Can Be Bancrofted Water main, sewer line and street improvements, Duff said, may be assessed over a 10-year period under the Bancroft act with 20 semi-annual payments. Areas such as Berrydale and others north of the city will be considered for annexation in the near future, Duff said. City offi cials, he said, planned South Medford annexation first be cause it was more rapidly de veloping, and if annexation is approved, South Medford an nexation will be used as a guide for annexing areas north of the city. Duff pointed out that as the assessed valuation of the area increases, levies would decrease because of a larger tax base. As an example, Duff assumed an assessed valuation of a district at $500,000, and with a tax levy of 4.1 mills. If half the district is annexed, the levy would remain the same. However, if the an nexed half developed enough to increase the district's assessed valuation to $1,000,000, then the tax levy would be only 2.05 mills. One-Tenth of Total The South Medford area, Duff said, has an assessed valuation of about $1,700,000, which is about one-tenth of Medford's present assessed valuation of $19,680,863. Mayor Miller has pointed out that the Metropolitan Sanitary District authority would take too long to correct many sani tary conditions fringing Med ford, but added that it would be effective. He said annexation is believed to be the most efficient and quickest means of coping with an acute problem. JOURNALIST DIES . Tokyo (U.R) The Tokyo Shimbun today announced the , death, of Yeisuke Fukuda, its president and one of the out standing figures in Japanese journalism. He was 75 years old. Doctors attributed death to palsy complicated by pneumonia. Portland (U.R) Civil Air pa trql cadets from all parts of Oregon were to take part today; in an orientation ride in a C-124 Globemaster, the biggest U.S. operational transport plane. Some 114 cadets, including' 26 girls, were to tour western Ore gon including a flight along the beaches. : IFM IMPLY Aft AGS CCHT 106 North Ivy St. Medford, Ore. 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