The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1904-09-12
FROM HON. Il. ". LONG

He Insists that the Star Misrepresented
Him, and Proposes that the County
Bond for $500. 900 for Necessary I'm
provements.
Editor Star: Feeling that the pub
lished statement Of the proceedings of
the county commissioners the after .
noon Of September ,, as shown by your
issue Of September Z, is not a fair anal
is due me- and the public generally that
both sides Of the question pending BE-
briefly outline. In doing SO 1 do not
wish to cast aspersiOns upon any I
shall not attempt to Use the precise
language OF any. but the common sense
substance Of what was said. and as
you. Mr.. Editor. was not present when
school tax from To Az mills was tax
IN up, il is reasonable to suppose that
would fail to get all tn" facts.
\ fair analysis in part. briefly stated.
is as follows: The matter Of reducing
thu. school tax from > to Az mills WAS
taken up. Chairman Scott and Super
interient earn Of the school board and
other officials. together with represent
itives of schools from nearly every i'm
rrrtant school center of the county
We're present. Chairman Scott. Super
intendent earn. Messrs. BarcO. Wealth
.rS and Ford addressed the board at
some length. and other representa-
tivcs of schools of the county address,
Cd the board briefly i'm dignified. cOur
focus terms. StresSing the necessity of
raising the levy to > mills some going
more fully into details than others. all
being united i'm the opinion that unless
the tax WAS raised to ) mills. as asked
for 10y tn" school board, il would be Il
step backward. and the school inter-
ami the plans adopted by the school
board for operating the schools would
have to he revised by giving shorter
school terms. reducing the salaries of
teachers and the expenditures i'm build
ing. repairing. etc.
After all present had been given an
opportunity to address the board. most
of whom doing SO. Chairman Long
arose. and. in part. stated that he felt
authorized by his associates to say that
they entertained the most kindly feel
ing toward the school interest Of the
county; that their action in reducing
the school tax as asked for by the
school board. which was the first time
any board of county commissioners the
past twenty years had done. was done
! in the interest of the tax payers of the
county: that the state had reduced its
milIage MILL the county commission
erS the county taxes half mill, and
by reducing the school tax half mill.
the levy of IL > mill building fund tax
to enlarge the court house would leave
county the same as last year: that the
county commissioners had cut the
county taxes all they could, and that Il
cut Of a half mill from the school tax
could not seriously affect the school
interest of the county, as the Az mill
tax. by reason OF an increase of the
valuation of the property of the county
being in round numbers the sum OF
s3oo.0o would raise within $1,000 OF
the aggregate amount of money raised
for the schools for 4 ) mill tax last
year.
At this point l referred to a circula,
letter that had been sent To variou:
persons of the county as being a reason
for the large attendance from iifferen
points of the county. giving as Reason
therefor that Il number of gentlemen
had come IT, me- and stated that the,
! had been informed by letter that un
less tn. levy WAS raised To ; mills tn
school term and salaries Of teacher
would have To- be leSSened: that opin
ion expressed that 81 per cent. of tn
tax payers favored a restoration of tn
: mill school tax WAS not worth any
thing. -tc. The first statement brough
vigorously defended himself from an
c-nSure by reason Of these letters II,
chairman Long. VIII" assured him tina
he had not intended IL question hi
right To write and send out these LIT
tiers. but Ia show that they had create
an -rrone"uS impression as Ia length ,
: school terms and salaries Of teacher
The statement as I" opinions Of
l,r cent. IF the TAX payers favori,l
] the restoration IF th, :. mill school Ii
brought Mr.. WeatherS To- his feet vi
with feeling repealed the statement ;
I" his opinions. etc Chairman L"r
arose AMI attempted IL interrupt NJ
WcathcrS I" explain that personal T.
tlrrtinnS We're not Intended After VI
W-athtcS concluded. Mr. Long STATE
lent. Of the tax payers fgvor-j; as 10
:. mill school tax without an inveStis.
ton WAS not worth ANYTHING rs to Wh