Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1915 — Benefit of Roads to Non-Abutting Property Owners [ARTICLE]

Benefit of Roads to Non-Abutting Property Owners

The road-building specialists of the department, in Bulletin No. 136, entitled “Highway Bonds,” have the following to say about the benefit of a well constructed highway to property owners whose property is not directly on the road to be improved: In planning the highway 'system or the main market roads it will be found necessary to omit many roads the improvement of which is greatly desired by abutting landowners. The fact that such property holders must pay a tax for the bond Issue is only an apparent injustice, for if the highway system is well planned the entire county will feel the benefits of the improvement. As a rule, main market roads reach the majority of producing areas, and whe they are Improved all land values tend to Increase. The fact that cities and larger towns are frequently taxed for bond issues to build highways outside of their own limits la sometimes made a point of debate in bond elections. It ia argued that because a large part of the county wealth is within the corporate limit of such cities and towns highway bond money should also be used to construct their streets. It is even urged that the expenditure should be made proportionateto“thd assessed valuation within the city limits. Ts the proceed* of highway bond Issues worn distributed in this way their pursMO In