.
[Reprinted from an
undated pamphlet, Simple Talks on Taxation, published by the
author]
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...
... Did I see you put two dimes in
that meter?
... Yeah.
Twenty cents an hour.
... Twenty cents! Why everywhere
else it's only a dime.
... Everywhere
else except on these two blocks on Mainway Avenue and the first
five parking places on each side of each side street.
... But, how come?
... Old man
Sterling. In the early days of cars, he filed an application for a
"park fee area" franchise. There was no competition. He
told the supervisors it would "liquefy" - I remember he
said it would "liquefy" traffic."
... Liquefy?
... Yeah.
Keep it moving. Supervisor Collins laughed-all the Board thought
he was crazy, so they said "Sure!" Someone said it
oughtn't be for more than fifty years. That got another laugh! So
they made it fifty years and Grady said it would look more legal
if there was a fee, a license fee, so they tacked on a twenty
dollar per annum license fee.
... That's all he pays?
... He didn't
pay that for the first three years. He got them to give him three
years to get started.
... So how come he gets twenty
cents?
... Oh, there
was no figure mentioned in the franchise.
... Well, I think that's a damn
outrage!
... Nobody
likes it much. Except old Sterling.
... Don't die merchants belly-ache?
... Sure. But
what can they do?
... Can't they sue to have the
franchise annulled?
... No. It's
a "vested interest" now. Sterling claims it would be
confiscation.
... Isn't he confiscating that extra
dime?
... Oh, most
folks don't see it that way. Besides, he's got a man, name of
Withers, on the Board of Supervisors now, and he pretty near runs
the Merchants Association.
... So they're not doing anything?
... The
storekeepers on the franchise area? No. But Wiithers is. He says
he's just waked up to the possibilities and he's started on a plan
to license parking franchises, all over town, to private
operators.
... On a percentage basis, I hope.
... Oh, sure.
The town will get Ten per cent, but will subsidise any franchise
holder who is losing money.
... Why?
... Why
because the franchises, like Taxi licenses, will get so valuable,
people'll pay thousands of dollars for 'em. Then they might lose
money on their investment, so the city'll make it up.
... An' the City on'y gets ten per
cent?
... Yeah.
Withers says "let's be consistent."
... Meaning what?
... Why, he
says "why not have the same policy on each side of the
sidewalk"? So he's talking about making the franchises "in
perpetuum," like the land titles across the sidewalk.
... If Withers calls that "waking
up" he should-a stood in bed. It'll be hell on the public!
... I s'pose
it might be tough.
... Right now, look at you and your
twenty cents. Why don't all you fellers park outside old
Sterling's franchise? He'd soon have to come down!
... And we
walk, maybe six blocks! Are you crazy?
... It would seem so.
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