The Need For Special Assessments

By ALEX VAN PRAAG, JR.,
Engineer, Warren and Van Praag, Decatur

INTRODUCTORY

Interrogation of the membership of the Illinois Municipal League by the Executive Director as to subjects which should at this time receive principal consideration by the League, and discussion of which would be most helpful to the membership, somewhat surprisingly developed that there is much interest in knowing more about "special assessments." This certainly is not a new subject, but there is again evidenced a strong sentiment in favor of enabling legislation, and now a revived interest in the subject.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS?

By "special assessments" one would ordinarily mean an assessment, or assessments, for a special purpose. Usage of the title or phrase has developed a much broader concept of special assessments. In fact, as generally used, the phrase "special assessments" refers to the entire subject of assessments for special purposes, and even more particularly the legislative provisions in our laws for the use of a special assessment proceedings. These are the provisions as set forth in Chapter 24, Section 84, of the Illinois Revised Statutes of 1957. This is the Local Improvement Legislation which has been on the statute books of our state since 1897 with certain subsequent, but relatively few, important amendments thereto. Most frequently this legislation is referred to by those persons familiar with the statutes as the Old Special Assessment Act.

To complete the picture, one should know also that there is a further "special assessment" act on the statute books, frequently referred to as the New Special Assessment Act. This latter act became a law of the state in August 1947.

HISTORICAL

A brief historical review of Illinois special assessment laws would seem helpful to an understanding of the subject.

Subsequent to 1897 and prior to 1929, special assessments and special assessment proceedings were a time-honored means of providing for the payment of the costs of public improvements, predominantly local in character. There are admittedly a vast number of public improvements, both needed and built, where the benefits to be derived from the improvement are so local as to warrant the local area being improved paying a portion, if not all, of the cost of the improvement. In the past, the greater number of city, village and town improvements in Illinois were financed under the Local Improvement Act, and thereby the attendant levying of special assessments on the property specially benefited. These improvements were generally made according to the Local Improvement Act of 1897 (the so-called Old Special Assessment Act), and that well-known law, except for numerous relatively minor amendments, is virtually the same today as when it was enacted.

With the financial collapse of 1929, the picture changed completely. Holders of special assessment bonds found it impossible to realize upon their investment holdings. Foreclosure proceedings were difficult, if not impossible. They resulted in no relief for the bondholder. The time-honored special assessment bonds fell into great disrepute and lost all of their credit and investment attraction. Further, special assessment proceedings became impossible. The bonds simply were not marketable.

At the time, it was quickly and fully recognized how badly, financing of improvements under the privileges of the act had been abused. It then became obvious, as it should have been much earlier, that many properties had been developed by improvements financed under the Local Improvement Act where the benefits to be derived from the improvements so financed were not in any reasonable manner equal to the amounts of the special assessments, and especially with the deflated values of property in the depression period following 1929. Large areas where there was little hope or likelihood of logical development or little need for development were improved with costly special assessment projects. Speculation in real estate, perhaps more than any one thing, contributed to the discrediting of special assessment bonds. Such abuses certainly contributed strongly to the failure of special assessment bonds and to the long-lasting banking disrepute into which such bonds had fallen subsequent to 1929.

Years later, more particularly in the late thirties and the early forties, there was some revival of interest in special assessments. The so-called New Special Assessment Act was therefore conceived and passed in 1947 with the thought of rectifying the ills of the old law, that is, to provide a new law which would permit this very desirable type of financing, and do so without incorporating the ills and abuses of the old act. It was recognized or believed by some authorities that a tremendous and tedious task lay ahead in adequately amending the old act and in restoring confidence in its use as a means of financing public works. It was believed by these authorities that a new act would be better than the old act amended. This was a point of some difference of opinion among the authorities. Consequently, however, as noted above, the new act was adopted without changing or nullifying in any manner the old act.

In support of those authorities who believed the old act amended to be better than a new act, it must not be overlooked that the old act is supported by a vast number of supporting legal decisions in the high courts. The old act has been adjudicated in its minutest detail and upon almost every question and phase during its then 30-year useful life and its now 60-year useful life. It is difficult to abandon an old law with such a heritage.

INTENT OF THE NEW ACT

The authors of the new special assessment procedure did have in mind in drafting the new legislation many specific provisions Intended to simplify and improve the workability of the proceedings, and to improve the credit and the bankability of the bonds issued thereunder. Foremost in these intentions were the following:

1. Simplification of the proceedings under the act.

2. Insuring that properties would not be improved where improvements should not properly and wisely be made, and that such improvements would not be made over the protests of many land or property owners, or in excessive amounts. By various stipulations it was intended to prevent the indiscreet use of special assessments.

3. Insuring the holder of a special assessment bond in the safety of his investment and to provide a positive ways and means of his recovering in the case of a defaulted improvement bond. By this means it was intended to make the special assessment bonds readily saleable or bankable.

* Paper delivered before session of Municipal Engineers, during- 45th Annual Conference of League, Springfield, Nov. 10th.

December 1958 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 291

There are many other intentions but the foregoing three intentions were the paramount considerations before the authors during the drafting of the new law.

The first intention, that of simplification, is obvious to some extent upon reading the old act and then the new act. The new act is relatively short. Its provisions appear relatively simple. The entire act is included in only 49 short statute sections. The old act included 99 long statute sections. Nevertheless, the so-called New Act is still complicated. It requires many tedious steps. It is costly to pursue.

The second objective, that of avoiding indiscreet or abusive use of the special assessment procedure, is partially accomplished. The new act contains numerous specific provisions which are not in the old act and that tend to accomplish the second stipulated intention, as, for example, a limitation that prevents use of the act with the filing of certain objections, where there is a certain degree of property vacancy or a certain degree of general tax delinquency. Properties are prohibited from being improved under the act where the cost of an improvement exceeds the value of the properties to be improved. The foregoing are indicative of the authors' efforts in this regard.

The third stipulated intention of the authors, namely, the effort to protect the bondholder, is likewise obvious upon reading the old act and then the new. The provisions of retirement of the bonds and the provisions for recovery in the case of default, are much simplified and made much more positive, but not sufficiently so.

Regardless of the intent of the authors, the usefulness of the new act, after eleven years of its being law, cannot be judged. The usefulness of this law cannot be judged until it has been used, and used frequently, and further, until the law has been adjudicated in the high courts. Unfortunately, at this late date, eleven years after passage of the act, there has been almost no use of the so-called New Law. Only one case is known to the author where this act has been used by a municipality on several improvements. There remains the need of extensive testing of the law in the Supreme Court of our state. So far as its use is concerned, it might just as well not be on the statute books.

WHY SHOULD WE BE INTERESTED IN SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS?

The question might well be asked, "Why are we interested, or should we even be interested, in special assessments?" The answer is relatively simple. Special assessments provide a means of constructing a wide variety of public works projects which give principal benefit to certain limited or restricted properties or areas. They provide the means of equitably distributing the cost of these particular improvements over those properties receiving the specific benefits. Certainly, properties which are especially benefited should expect to bear the cost of those projects. It cannot, and should not, be expected that general public funds, or the public generally, should pay the cost of improvements with specialized benefits to a relatively few.

Special assessment proceedings provide a ways and means of not only distributing the cost equitably over the benefited properties, but they provide a ways and means of providing the funds to permit the project to be built and then to be paid for over a long period of time, in installments.

Efforts to distribute the cost of projects giving special benefits to localized areas or properties have been accomplished in a mild manner by our subsequently enacted revenue or use laws; for example, the water revenue bond laws where the water user pays for his use of the utility or service and in proportion to his use thereof. However, distribution of cost of a service on a use basis does not properly recognize the property value increases of public improvements, and it is only by special assessments that such property value increases can be appropriately recognized and assessed.

Furthermore, there are a variety of projects which can be built by special assessment and where there is no means of measuring the "services" such as is done in the case of furnishing water. An example would be the construction of a bridge, a viaduct or a subway.

Too, special assessments can be used to pay a portion of the cost of a project when the benefits are, in part, "local" and, in part, "general."

Few people and few public officials recognize the wide variety of projects which can be built and paid for in whole, or in part, under special assessments and special assessment proceedings. Almost every type of public works can be built and financed by this means. The criteria in determining the type of projects which can be built is, "Does the project proposed give special benefit to certain properties— benefits which are not general in their scope and widespread in their application?" The Local Improvement or Special Assessment Act specifically sets out some of the many types of projects which can be built under its provisions, and included in those special items are such familiar works as waterworks, bridges, viaducts, and subways. Most people think in terms of special assessments only for sewers, water mains, pavements, sidewalks, and street lighting, and those improvements where there is direct frontage on the improvement. Many more types of improvements not herein expressly mentioned are made possible by the act.

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF USING SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS?

While special assessments provide an equitable and convenient method of financing a large variety of public works projects, there are certain distresses or disadvantages in their use.

The act is long and cumbersome and many public officials, including city attorneys, shun away from it because of its complexities. It will be recalled that simplification of the act was one of the prime objectives of the so-called New Act. This author believes that the complexity of the act and its administration are poor justification for its lack of use.

The complexity of the act and its use results in a more costly improvement in that its legal and administrative costs and the engineering costs are necessarily greater than in many other types of public works financing. This increased expense is frequently overestimated, however. The actual cost of legal, administrative and engineering services should be very little in excess of the costs incurred with other types of financing of like projects. Seldom would the extra cost exceed one or two per cent.

Use of the act is time-consuming and there is frequently considerable delay from the time a project is initiated until it can be stated in construction and then completed. This can be annoying. However, it must be reflected that the proceedings is designed to protect a property owner against an assessment or tax upon his property without giving that owner adequate notices and liberal opportunities to be heard, both in hearings outside of the courts and in proceedings in the courts. The courts have always leaned far in protecting a property owner's interests against invasion without adequate hearings, remedies and defenses.

The act does not yet contain adequate provisions to insure the bondholder adequate and ready remedies of recovery of his investment in the event of defaulted assessments. This tends to make investors wary of accepting special assessment bonds with the consequent lessening of the value of the bonds. This situation is reflected frequently in higher construction costs since any cost of bond discounting is absorbed in, or hidden in, the construction contractor's bid. This results from the fact that most special assessment bonds are delivered to the construction contractor in payment of his construction services rather than

December 1958 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 292

special assessment bonds being delivered through the more customary channels to interested bond investors and bond investment houses. Improved marketability of the bonds would give a big impetus to the use of special assessment proceedings as a means of financing.

TO WHAT EXTENT ARE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS NOW USED?

Recognizing that it would be interesting and informative to learn to what extent the Local Improvement or Special Assessment Act is used in Illinois at this time, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed to cities and villages, as well as to Sanitary Districts within the state, all of such bodies having a population of 2,000 or more. The results are most interesting.

The questionnaire contained 12 questions pertinent to the subject. It was directed primarily to ascertain what use is being made of special assessments, the type and number of projects constructed with their use, and the character or type of those projects. Further, it attempted to ascertain the user's opinion of the ease or difficulty experienced in using special assessments.

There is appended a copy of the questionnaire.

COMMENTS ON TABULAR REPORT OF REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE

Of the 358 questionnaires sent out, 167 replies were received for a total return of 46.7%. For this type of poll, the high percentage of returns is indicative of the interest in special assessment studies and use.

Of the total number of municipalities reporting, approximately one-half make some, but infrequent, use of the special assessment law. One observed trend seems to be that the use of the law increases with the size of the municipality. One reason for this could possibly be that there is a greater need for many small local improvements in larger cities. Too, larger cities are better staffed with legal and engineering aid.

In reent years, the use of the special assessment law has been increasing. Actually, however, the number of times the law has been used (597) within the past three years, 1955-1957, considering that this is a state-wide poll, is indicative of the reluctance of municipalities to use special assessments as a means of financing improvements.

Of the total, only 40% of the municipalities reporting have projects in progress in 1958, which are being financed by special assessment. The trend again seems to be that the number of projects increases as the population group increases.

A total of 773 improvements were reported with a value of $34,076,000. Approximately 61% of the improvements reported are paving improvements. Of the total value, 53% is for paving work. This is undoubtedly because this type of improvement is motivated by the aid given by the state in the terms of motor fuel tax returns and consequently the majority of these improvements are paid for by a combination of property special assessment and motor fuel tax monies.

With regards special assessment proceedings, 64 out of 77 replies mention that the proceedings were pursued easily; 24 of 38 replies said that they were pursued with difficulty, and 20 of 35 replies said the projects were abandoned before construction was undertaken.

Of the disposition of special assessment bonds, 67 of 74 replies stated that they were readily disposed of and of these replies, 78% were disposed of to the contractor.

Of the replies regarding the selling price of special assessment bonds, of the total number (73), 63% were disposed of at par, which is an indication that in the majority of cases disposition of special assessment bonds was not difficult. An additional 15% of the respondents were able to sell their bonds at $95 to $99 per $100 face value. Only 7% reported the bonds sold as low as $85 to $90 per $100 face value.

Summary tabulations of the study of the questionnaire returns follows.

In considering the foregoing tabulation (TABLE 1) it should be remembered that there are in Illinois 1157 (as of 1950 Census) incorporated cities, villages and towns. There are also in Illinois 24 incorporated sanitary districts. Thus, what might at first appear to be a sizeable use of the special assessment proceedings is shown to be a very small use, particularly as relating to the number of municipalities. Further, certain municipalities reporting the use of the special assessment act used the act several times. This, considered in conjunction with the tabulation, further reflects the "lack" of use of the act rather than its "frequent" use.

It is interesting to note (from TABLE 2) that of the aggregate total of 773 projects shown by the foregoing tabulation, the total of the estimated project costs was $34,076,000. This is an average cost per project of only $44,000. Of interest, too, is the very small perCentage and dollar value of projects other than paving and sewerage. This tabulation further emphasizes the infrequency of use of the special assessment act and the failure of municipalities to utilize this available type of improvement procedure and financing on the wide variety of projects permitted by the act.

The foregoing tabulation (TABLE 3) is not too meaningful in that it presents only the opinion of the extent of ease or difficulty in using the act as expressed by the party furnishing the questionnaire information. "Difficult" or "easy" are matters of degree only, and in the minds of the reporter. It is interesting to note that a majority of those reporting reported that the projects were considered by some to be difficult of pursuance whereas others considered them easily pursued or, at least, not too difficult.

The foregoing tabulation (TABLE 4) is indicative that when a munici-

TABLE 1 TABULAR REPORT OF REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE EXTENT OF USE OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
		Cities, Villages and Towns By Population Groups
Item	2,000 to 5,000	5,000 to 15,000	15,000 to 25,000	25,000 to 60,000	60,000 and Over	Sanitary Districts	Total
Number of Questionnaires Sent .........	153	115	31	23	12	24	358
Number of Replies Received	46	53	27	16	10	16	167
Per Cent Returns ...........	30.1%	46.1%	87.0%	69.5%	88.3%	62.6%	46.7%
Make Use of S.A. Law..... Number of Communities
Yes ....................	12	25	19	12	8	3	79
No ....................	13	27	7	4	2	12	85
Per Cent of Communities
Yes ....................	27%	48%	73%	75%	80%	20%	48%
No ....................	73%	52%	27%	25%	20%	80%	52%
Number of Times Law Used
1956 ...................	2	36	48	32	34	2	154
1966 ...................	2	34	45	64	56	2	203
1987 ...................	10	37	55	85	52	1	240
Projects in Progress 1958
Yes ....................	25%	31%	65%	69%	75%	20%	40%

December 1958 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 293

TABLE 2 TABULAR REPORT OF REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE NATURE OF USE OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
Cities, Villages and Towns Py Population Groups
Item	2,000 to 5,000	6,000 to 15,000	15,000 to 26,000	25,000 to 50,000	50,000 and Over	Sanitary Districts	Total
Type of Improvement*
Number of Improvements	16	103	171	164	312	7	773
Per Cent — Paving ...........	43%	42%	28%	73%	83%	. . . . .	61%
Per Cent — Waterworks .......	19%	10%	8%	10%	1%	. . . . .	6%
Per Cent - Sewerage	31%	23%	23%	11%	11%	100%	17%
Per Cent Drainage	7%	4%	7%	. . . . .	2%	. . . . .	3%
Per Cent — Sidewalks ........	. . . . .	1%	. . . . .	3%	1%	. . . . .	1%
Per Cent — Street Lighting ....	. . . . .	2%	4%	2%	1%	. . . . .	2%
Per Cent — Other ........	. . . . .	18%	30%	1%	1%	. . . . .	10%
Dollar Value of Improvements
Total Value ........	$1,431,000	$6,058,000	$8,387,000	$8,990,000	$7,422,000	$1,788,000	$34,076,000
Per Cent — Paving ......	48%	61%	29%	64%	72%		53%
	14%	7%	8%	5%	2%	. . . . .	5%
Per Cent — Sewerage	37%	17%	21%	26%	17%	100%	26%
Per Cent — Drainage	1%	5%	27%	. . . . .	Fraction	. . . . .	8%
Per Cent Sidewalks .....	. . . . .	1%	. . . . .	1%	Fraction	. . . . .	Fraction
Per Cent — Street Lighting ...	. . . . .	2%	8%	3%	9%	. . . . .	5%
Per Cent — Other ......	. . . . .	7%	7%	1%	Fraction	. . . . .	3%

* Some improvements are financed by a combination of Special Assessment and Motor Fuel Tax.

pality did elect to use a special assessment proceedings, it was able to dispose of its special assessment bonds by payment of contractor costs in connection therewith, and without too much difficulty. It also indicates that discounting of bonds was not as severe as is so frequently believed. On the contrary, it is noteworthy that only 7% of the issues reported were disposed of at prices below $90 per $100 of face value, and that such reportings were entirely in cities of less than 25,000 population. The major portion of such low pricings were in cities ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 population.

SOME CONCLUSIONS FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND RETURNS STUDY

Study of the returns to the questionnaire, in the opinion of the writer, does warrant certain conclusions.

(1) There is all too frequent avoidance of the use of the special assessment act in spite of its many benefits. Admitting that the act is complex and difficult of use, there is, nevertheless, too little use of the act for it does provide a means of constructing such a wide variety of projects, and so equitably distributing the cost thereof in those cases where the benefits are mostly, or in large part, localized. Those municipalities which have used the act find it not too difficult of usage.

(2) It is quite apparent that there is not wide-spread knowledge of the capabilities of the act in financing many different types of improvements. Repeating, the act permits of many types of projects to be financed by special assessment. Certainly, with

TABLE 3 TABULAR REPORT OF REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE EASE OR DIFFICULTY OF USE OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
Cities, Villages and Towns By Population Groups
Item	2,000 to 5,000	5,000 to 15,000	15,000 to 25,000	25,000 to 50,000	50,000 and Over	Sanitary Districts	Total
Acceptance of S.A. Proceedings Number of Replies— Pursued Easily
Yes ..................	8	20	14	11	8	3	64
No ..................	4	3	3	2	1	0	13
Number of Replies-Pursued with Difficulty
Yes ..................	6	7	6	4	1	0	24
No ..................	4	2	3	3	1	1	14
Number of Replies Reporting Projects Abandoned ................	2	6	3	5	4	0	20

TABLE 4 TABULAR REPORT OF REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE METHOD OF DISPOSAL OF BONDS AND BOND VALUES IN SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
Cities, Villages and Towns By Population Groups
Item	2,000 to 5,000	5,000 to 15,000	15,000 to 25,000	25,000 to 50,000	50,000 and Over	Sanitary District	Total
S.A. Bonds Readily Disposed Of
Number— Yes ............	6	24	16	11	8	2	67
Number— No .............	3	1	2	0	0	1	7
Methods of Disposal Per Cent to Contractor ...	82%	66%	84%	79%	89%	100%	78%
Per Cent to Bond Inv. House....	0%	19%	16%	14%	11%	0%	13%
Per Cent to Others .......	18%	15%	0%	7%	0%	0%	9%
Price of S.A. Bonds
Total Number Replies......	10	26	14	13	7	3	73
Per Cent at Par ..........	70%	66%	64%	69%	43%	33%	63%
Per Cent at $95-99 ........	0%	15%	0%	23%	29%	67%	15%
Per Cent at $90-94 ........	10%	15%	21%	8%	28%	0%	15%
Per Cent at $85-89 .......	20%	4%	15%	0%	0%	0%	7%

December 1958 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 294

the number of municipalities and sanitary districts permitted to use the act, and, certainly, with the vast backlog of needed improvements in Illinois cities, villages and towns, and in Illinois sanitary districts throughout the state, and the wide variety or nature of such needed projects, the special assessment act is deserving of much more frequent usage and on a wider variety of project types.

(3) Where municipalities or public bodies see fit to use the special assessment act, they are enabled to do so. Further, they are enabled to dispose of special assessment bonds at a not unreasonable price. Obviously this requires careful selection of the improvement to be made, and careful avoidance of unwise or indiscreet use of the act.

(4) Outstanding, from a study of the returns of the questionnaire, is the reluctance to use the act because of its known or its fancied difficulties. This emphasizes the need for further amendments to the act or the redrafting of a new and more acceptable act.

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS?

There is an opportunity to considerably improve the special assessment act by appropriate amendments thereto and thereby making it a most valuable tool of public officials in constructing well selected and well administered public works projects. Efforts should be made to accomplish the three hereinbefore recited objective's of the so-called "New Act" when it was passed in 1947. They were, in few words, (1) simplification, (2) insurance of careful selection of the improvement and wise use of the act, and (3) insurance of safety of the investor's investment in special assessment bonds.

It seems particularly necessary that means be conceived to guarantee the investor a safe return on his investment with a fair rate of earning thereupon. There are abundant funds available in the investment market but the investor must have assurances that he is not going to be put to long and costly proceedings in recovering his investment. The investor must have protection for his investment that gives him relief in the case of a defaulted bond with that relief being (a) prompt, (2) inexpensive, and (3) positive. No one other action would give greater inCentive to investors and to the most full use of this type of financing. The restoration of banking confidence will promptly follow.

Some states have acted in this regard and under certain conditions the states may underwrite or guarantee the assessments or the security of the investment.

This writer is not herein proposing specifically what amendments there should be In the act nor the contents of any new act. This writer does believe in the potential and in the value of an appropriate special assessment proceedings, and the enabling legislation therefor.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS?

The future of special assessments is tied to the enabling legislation. If the enabling legislation is modified so as to make the act more usable and so as to insure the investor's funds, then special assessments have a bright future. So, too, do public works granting localized benefits. If the act remains as at present, the future of special assessments remains impaired. It is likely that there will be some increased use of the act even though not further amended. It can only be expected, however, that the increased use of the act will be very gradual. It will result from absolute necessity to use the act rather than a readiness and willingness to use it because of its desirability and its equitability.

Rather than an act to be avoided and to be used only of necessity, the act should be amended so as to make it attractive and palatable. It should be amended so as to reduce the cost of using and administering the act.

These objectives are not beyond reason of accomplishment.

This entire subject should receive a most careful and thorough investigation by the Illinois Municipal League and its proper committees.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FINANCING OF LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS VIA CHAPTER 24 — SECTION 84 ILLINOIS REVISED STATUTES, 1957

1. DOES YOUR GOVERNMENTAL BODY MAKE USE OF THE SO-CALLED "SPECIAL ASSESSMENT LAW" IN FINANCING PUBLIC WORKS?

( _______ ) Yes ( _______ ) No

2. HAVE YOU PROJECTS IN PROGRESS IN 1958 ?

( _______ ) Yes ( _______ ) No

3. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU USED THIS LAW IN THE LAST THREE YEARS?

( _______ ) 1955 ( _______ ) 1856 ( _______ ) 1957

4. WHAT TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT WAS BEING FINANCED?

( _______ ) Paving ( _______ ) Sidewalks

( _______ ) Waterworks ( _______ ) Street Lighting

( _______ ) Sewerage ( _______ ) Electrical

( _______ ) Drainage ( _______ ) Other

_________________(type)

_________________(type)

5. WHAT IS THE APPROXIMATE DOLLAR VALUE OF EACH TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT MADE?

Total Value of Number of Projects Projects

Paving:

Waterworks:

Sewerage:

Drainage:

Sidewalks:

Street Lighting:

Electrical:

Other:

6. HAVE YOUR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS BEEN:

Pursued Easily? (without much objection)

( _______ ) Yes ( _______ ) No

Pursued with Difficulty? (with strenuous objection)

( _______ ) Yes ( _______ ) No

Abandoned due to Vigorous Objection?

( ________ ) Yes ( ________ ) No

(Continued on next page)

December 1958 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 295

7. HAVE YOUR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BONDS BEEN READILY DISPOSED OF?

( _______ ) Yes (_______ ) No

8. WHAT WAS THE METHOD OF DISPOSAL OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BONDS?

( _______ ) To Contractor in payment of construction costs?

( _______ ) To bond investment house or bank?

( _______ ) To others? (Class of Buyer)

9. AT APPROXIMATELY WHAT PRICE WERE THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BONDS SOLD?

( _______ ) At Par?

( _______ ) $95 to $99 per $100 Face Value

( _______ ) $90 to $94 per $100 Face Value

( _______ ) $85 to $89 per $100 Face Value

( _______ ) $80 to$84 per $100 Face Value

( _______ ) Less than $80 per $100 Face Value

10. IF YOUR GOVERNMENTAL BODY DOES NOT AVAIL ITSELF OF THE USE OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FINANCING, WHAT IS THE REASON?

( _______ ) No worthy project to build?

( _______ ) Law too difficult to use?

( _______ ) Cannot dispose of Special Assessment Bonds?

( _______ ) Bond discount too great?

( _______ ) Other? _______________(Reason)

______________________________(Reason)

11. IF YOUR GOVERNMENTAL BODY DOES AVAIL ITSELF OF THE USE OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FINANCING, WHAT IS YOUR MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM OR DIFFICULTY IN SO DOING?

12 HAS YOUR MUNICIPALITY USED OR ATTEMPTED TO USE THE SO-CALLED "NEW SPECIAL ASSESSMENT LAW" WHICH WAS ENACTED INTO LAW ON AUGUST 7, 1947, BY THE 65TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY?

( _______ ) Yes ( _______ ) No

13. ANY REMARKS OR COMMENTS:

December 1958 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 296