ALBERT C. RITCHIE^ GOVERNOR. 167"!

The bill must be considered in connection with Senate Bill
No. 175, authorizing a $75,000 bond issue by Westminster,
principally for improving streets. It is provided that all of
this money is to be spent on streets which are either within or
bound the present city limits, with the exception of a few
hundred feet which extend into the Annex territory.

The people who live in the Annex would have to pay their
share of the taxes necessary to carry and redeem this loan,
although their property is excluded from any direct share in
its benefits.

Moreover, in addition to their State and county taxes, the
residents of the Annex would become at once subject to the
Westminster city tax rate, which is expected to be about 73
cents this year. I am advised that the taxable basis of the

Annex district is about $400,000, so that this increased tax
would be quite an appreciable burden.

In return, the Annex residents would get practically noth-
ing. No new roads are provided for them; there is no city
sewerage system to extend; electricity, water and gas are
already being supplied in the Annex territory by a public serv-
ice corporation.

I cannot escape the conviction that annexation under this
bill would result in no material benefit at all to the property
and residents in the Annex territory, but would place a serious
burden upon them through a considerable increase in taxation,
which would be mainly for the benefit of the present city
limits.

It is true that the bill calls for a referendum, but the people
in the present city limits and those in the Annex are required
to vote together, and the former outnumber the latter about
ten to one. Inasmuch as the citizens in the present city limits
might naturally be expected to favor a measure which would
spread out their taxes over the proposed new territory, the
referendum hardly seems to give the residents in that territory
much protection or opportunity to make their wishes effective.

For these reasons I am vetoing Senate Bill No. 176, but I
will approve Senate Bill No. 175 (Ch. 132), providing for
the bond issue, because I am advised that the city authorities
want that bill in any event.