The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-03-26
WARMING UP ON TAX AFFAIRS
stanton, Fla, March %, 1909.
o the Editor Ocala 'pAnner.

N ooo opdCS W uldhS
comparisons OF taxes paid on proper
Ties In this vicinity, and will designate
them by numbers:
NO. IA l-acre lot, appraised two
years ago at $40. Lot was in culi-
walton, but no buildings or other i'm
provements. The improvements now
consist of a small, 5-room house and
couple of small sheds and out-build-
ings.
NO. "A 7-acre grapefruit grove,
considered the finest and most profit
able in the county. The crop for the
last few years. to my knowledge,
amounted TO $4,000 yearly. The res
idence az one time was considered at
finest in the county. The servants
house cost more than the house on
No. ]. Large packing house and sta
bles and all necessary out-buildings
The personal property on the place
is equal TO the value of No. 1. The
place is situated on the railroad, and,
20 take everything into consideration,
b. one of the most desirable and pay
mg properties in the county.
No. a 7-acre bearing orange
grove. which would sell for four times
What No. l would. and is fully worth
T the difference
No Ten acres of dnilEproved
land. owned by a nonresident, who
puts an enormous value on it. and
refuses to sell at any price.
No. "A property of about one
acre of land. with large, 2-story house
and about 40 bearing orange trees,
and would readily sell for more than
No. I. These properties lie west,
south, east and moth, respectively, as
numbered from No. 1, and all in a
radius of half a mile square.
Now for the taxes on each:
No. paid $12: No. ?, 500; No. 3.
by some chicanery, has been assess
I'd in connection with No. 2, and the
tax amounted to SO a year. (The
writer understands that the grove is
now assessed at $1,000. which would
bring the taxes at present rate to
sea-: No. {, the writer does not know
exact figure. but unimproved land is
generally rated at $1.25 to $3.50, but
let's make il IS per acre, at a venture,
which would make taxes $1.20; No.
: paid s. this year, which is a raise on
what IL had been.
Now. these statements can be veri-
fed by the tax collectors books, and
II doesn require a professor of math-
ematics TO figure out whether this is
a fair and just amount of taxes paid,
according TO actual corresponding
valuation of the different properties
and this is not an exception. The
same comparisons exist all over Ma
rion county, and probably the whole
state where you find groves and large
properties: and even for the same
class and amount of property there
. is IS per cent. difference in the ap
praisements.
This condition should not exist. II
is unjust and drawback to the gen
. eral welfare of the state.
But just as long as every property
owner is to be his own assessor il
will exist
Il is a fact that there are not few
who can put on a face as long as that
|of a Kentucky mule in church on Sun
+ DAY. and on Monday won't hesitate
Ito nat their name after so help me
God" on a tax return sheet, when al
- the same time they may have several
hundred or several thousand dollars
worth of taxable property not men
toned on the return.
. Now. by having a house to house
assessor. a great deal of this property
could be seen by the assessor, and the
same party that did not hesitate tc
sign the return sheet would hesitate
10 raise his hand %nd make oath that
, ne had given in all his possessions
taxable. and the amount so gained il
taxes would pay the assessors, and
for making out tx books, and the
/ county assessor could be dispensed
b. with altogether.
} We need a change from the pres
h cnt unjust system, and TO my mind
20 have a law passed to allow eacf
b |p-ecinct elect their assessor, and have
them meet with the county commits
Isioucrs and form a scale and prices
F. for Inherent kinds and classes of tax
able property, and all work by the
10 same scale and rule adopted would be
, an Improvement on the present sys
= tenn.
r N-ow lar's figure a little. and sup