The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-06-18
Cur County Commissioners and the Tax
col1Ae4nr

Collector.
AT the June meeting of our county
commissioners, which, by the way
was the last meeting of said board, a
resolution was passed requesting Mr.
y. ID. Pooser, the tax collector, to al
once close his books and proceed with
the sale of delinquent tax lands for
1896, and this in the face Of the fact
that the tax payers of this county,
through their representatives., the
democratic executive committee, had
passed resolution by an almost unan-
imous vote, asking them to extend the
time. The refusal Of this request by
/ the board is obvious, and can easily be
imagined, but just why our board of
/ county commissioners should wish to
! force the sale of these lands, thus put
ting hundreds of good citizens TO the
/ unnecessary expense and trouble OF
redeeming their property sold at a
force sale, merely to gratify personal
spleue, should be carefully and thor
oughly investigated
A member of this beard appeared
before the executive committee and
made the assertion that the matter
had passed beyond their control,
which statement will not bear out un-
der the existing facts and laws in the
ease. Under the same law the sale Of
these lands for unpaid taxes was post
poned until November.
In 1886 the books we're turned over
to Captain Pooser on the first Of No
yember, yet ne was authorized by this
same board to keep the books open
until the following November, while
In 1897 the tax books were not turned
over to him until the first of February,
three months of the time allowed in
which to make the collections having
passed, leaving him only threemOnths
in which to perform the duties hereto
fore done in six, yet this board say
they cannot extend the time. If it
was u violation of the law to extend
the time of closing. was it not ais" a
violation of the law to receive and
open them three months later than is
required by this same law2 Is it
right, is it just to our tax payers to
take away one half of the time al
lowed them in which to ray their
taxes? Is it right to compel Mr..
Pooser to do the work in three months
when the law gives him six? If the
law is to be complied with then some-
body is responsible for this delay, and
certainly the tax payer should aot be
the sufferer from the dereiict of duty
on the part Of their servants.
The tax books for 1896 were kept
open last year until November under
the same laws that now exist. Then
why should it he a violation Of the
law to postpone the closing of them ia
1872 1t is not So much the Law they
wish to serve as it is few pet schemes
they wish to carry out,
The legislature Of 1895, realizing the
financial depression of the people,
postponed the payment Of taxes due
fer 1894 until September, 1888. In
some way the impression got out that
the closing Of the books had been
postponed until October, whpreupon
the comptroller authorized the various
collectors throughout the stateto post
pone tbe sale of these lands on which
taxes were due for lS9l until the first
Monday in October.
Ia 1876 the same financial deprt :
sion existed, aud tne fact that cur peo-
ple wer,4 unatle to meet ther taxes,
and upon The inquiry of collectors
frnm all over he state, The comptroller,
Hon. w y Bioxham, issued circu-
lar letter, and upon this letter our
county commissioners postponed the
sale Of these lands until the first Mon
day in November, 1896. The circular
letter is as follows:
TALlAuAssRR, FLA, March O. 1880
T1 tie Tar Coliect0is ot FiofkiG:
Genuemen Having received scvetai letters
from collec.ors-fe regarding the extension Of time
in which to ea(orce the collection Of the taxes Of
1898. have deemed It advisable to issue this
circular letter to all collectors.
The comptroller has authority 10 direct
postponeuent Of tax advertisement, and sale,
beyond the period fixed by law
would respectfully suggest that you consult
with your board of county commissioners and
.Iat ..rst~ as wifi bes sfla.
serve the convenience Of the tax payers, and
that you give due publicity 70 the date fixed.
oar supreme court has decided that the power
Of tax collector y enforce the payment Of taxes
l,v levy and sale. under the warrant oi the as
SCISSOR. continues III fail force until all the taxes
are collected Yours very truly,
w D. BLoxHAM. Comptroller,
With all of this fresh in their MEM
| ory and in the face Of the fact that our
present comptroller, Hon. w. II. Rey-
nolds, has issued almost the same
identical circular letter TO tho tax coll
lectors, aud in the face of the resolu-
ton passed by the executive commit
tee, this same hoard says it has no fur
| ther power in the matter and instructs
| the collector to at once proceed with
! the sale of delinquent tax lands for
1896.
Health and strength carry us through
dangers and make us safe in the pres
, ence Of peril. a perfectly strong man
with rich, pure blood, has nothing to
fear from germs. He may breathe in
the bacilli of consumption with in-
punity. If there is weak spot where
the germs may kRn an entrance to the
| tissues, then the trouble begins. Dis
] ease germs propagate with lightning
like rapidity. Once III the blood, the
only way to get rid of them is to kill
them. This is what DIR. Pierce's Gold
en- Medical Discovery is for, 1t puri-
fies the blood. That means that it
| ,..l1u a.. .~arys.5 buf that IL only ma rt