The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1906-06-01

Mr. Jordan says that taxes in De
Soto county have been gradually in
creasing ever since the division Of
bianatce county, when DeSoto county
was created. II this is true, then it
Is the strongest possible reason why
Do Soto county should not be divided,
for II that division produced a gradual
increase, 40 taxes, i5 it not reasonable
to suppose that the division Of DeSOtO
county would produce another in
crease in taxes; Mr.. Jordan nor no
other man advocating the division Of
DeSoto county can show that the diyi-
sion Of counties In this state has eyer
resulted in a reduction of taxes Mr..
Jordan can no doubt show that iu some
Of the smaller counties If the state the
rate Of taxation Cthe mllagcl Is lower
than it is in De soto county. but Mr..
Jordan knows that the assessed yalua-
ton OF the property i'm these small
counties is much higher proport.onatc-
~ llIl % - ~ l't f|'l' ''IllIIn o. d.
\ well-kuowu fact that the valuations
placed on the taxable property of l."
soto county Is about the Lowest of any
in the state Of Florida. and this means
county. for this reason. that when the
property is assessed high. and the
rate NJ taxation Is made low, each tax
payer pays to the state larger
the valua ion of his property was made
low, and the rate of taxation high.
In DE Soto county the assessed valu-
alton of the property Is low ana
the rate of taxation r. higher
than il is i'm some Of the other counties
of the state. therefore. iu DE SOTO
county. less than ouc-thirl Of thr total
faxes paid by each tax payer goes t.
the state, while in PaSco, citrus, Lake
and some Of the other small counties
about fifty per cent. or onc.lalf of She
amount Of taxes Of each tax nsyer
goes to the state In these small conn
what 1t is in De soto, for i'm Them the
rate OF taxation is comparatively low,
while the valuatio on similar classes
OF property is about four times ms high
as it is in De Soto county.
You cannot9buy the property Of
De Soto county foi four times aN much
As it is assessed tor, vet it !, an ab~o-
lutte fact that in many Of the smaller
counties Of the state you cannot "eH
dc property for ySIat it is assessed at.
III DE Soto county would ASSESS her
property as high as the property -
assessed i'm the smaller counties Of the
state. she could reduce her rate OF
fnXation to One-half what il Is now,
and collect as much taxes Is she now
COLLECTS. Mr.. Jordan once lived IN
Sumpter county in this state. ana
while there he fought the division "i
that county to a cold finish. lie prop
hbly opposed the division Of that coun-
BY for the reason that ~ was not
asked to 90 to the legislature 10 Uv'de
Ait. Sumpter county was divided. Mr..
Jordan left there, and came to on" ~
the largest (De 500 counties in the
state believing. no doubt, thaSo
could do better in large county tbAW
he could i'm small one. Mr.. Jordan,
& i'm coming to DE Soto county after
X Fighting the Rlislon of Sumpter COM
s ty. showed his preference for larg"
counties. for If he is 50 partial To
smaIl counties and believes 50 strong
K ~ in them, why did lac not stay in the
small counties in hich. he lived bcfor"
he came to De soto? | know Il man
4 living in De soto county who owns
some wild or unmprOVed land IN
Sumpter county-where Mr. lord az
once lJYed-and this land Is assessed
at $500 per age. the -owner has offered
10 sell 1t for $500 per acre and'cannot
sell it.
Mr.. Jordan Is almost aus changeaLle
in his views and ideas on the division
of counties as-hs newly acquired sup
y porter, Mr.. Hugh Sparkman, who Il
few weeks agatNNis candidate for
Representatives pr De Soto County, and
was running on platfot that IiiOSt
bitterly opposed the division Of the