The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-12-06
FROM THE KEDDICK FILOSOFER
Mr.. Light Submits Some Figures for
the Confederation Of the
Grand Jura


To the Grand Jury of December
Court, 1911. Dear Sirs; I respectfully
call your attention to that part of our
state auditors report on Marion coun-
tvs finances, as follows:
Total receipts for 1903, $130,066.75,
and warrants Issued, s129,33s5s. leav-
ing $l,729.s9 10 the good. Total re-
eeipts for 1910, s132,75555, and war
rants issued, s12s,639.O9, leaving s4,-
1908 to the good.
now call your attention to the Ma
rion county assessment report as found
on pages 162 and 163 comptroller's
report for 1910, giving our assessment
at S93,298.S1 and CUP sub school dis
tEiet assessment at $ll.573.15, and our
county license tax being approximate
ly the same as the state license tax
or about $4,000. The total assess
ments Of the county and license tax
amounts TO $4,000, and the auditor
reports receipts from taxes in 1910,
ss0,891.s4 and railroad license tax at
S1,09l4l. Total receipts from taxes,
ss1,sS9.29, ar there is a difference be-
tween receipts and assessment Of
about $4,000. Either the auditor has
made a big mistake or there Is a big
leak in our finances. Please give this
your special and careful attention and
suggest n remedy If there is wrong
,, In the year 1909 we spent less than
received $1,729.69. In 1910 we had
s4,120,4S to our good. I have not the
full report to Dec. 1st, but have suf-
fieient data to warrant me in saaYing
10 you. OF expenses and reeefhts tor
the month OF December. the. warrants S
issued will be fully 100000 more tban
| the receipts.
1 now call your attention to the road
fund OF 1909. Receipts, $22.sO5a 20,
warrants issued. $2s.lr4.32 1910 re-
ceiats were s26174a2, warrants is
sued. s26.453.62. The receipts for 1911
will be correspondingly larger than
/ 1909 or 1910 and the warrants issued
to Dec lst. WAS S4s,453.11. Estimat ting
receipts and expenditures for Decem-
ber to be normal then the road fund
expenses for 1911 will be as large as
| 1909 and l91l combined.
The total Indebtedness of the coun-
| ty on July 1st, 1911, was S107,344.S2
The Indebtedness Of the county Jan
| 1st, 1919, 1 predict, will be nigh unto
s170.000. The interest bill for 1916
was $5,464.36. We will be compelled
to pay in 1912 more than $4,000 inter
est,
Duval ceunty's assessment is four
times as large as Marion's. Duva
county has. SO says the state auditor
s11S,000 outstanding warrants, yet he1
| warrants are cashed at a big discount
How soon under our present system
of affairs will Marion county warrant!
be cashed at a discount? The interes
bin for 1912 will be about $4,000
Time warrants coming due about sl3.
600, yet our county commissioner
thave made no provisions to take car
OF these claims and to take that mucl
out of our regular receipts and t
continue the same amount of ex
!, aenees viii simply mean harm to tn
county.
I now call your attention to the An
and forfeiture fund. Fhe state au
ditor says that under chapter $50
) the commissioners are empowered I
transfer funds from this fund to 9th
er funds. Chapter 56s9 says the com
missieners may at the close of tn
year. if there is a surplus Oh han
from moneys received from hire G
eonviets, transfer to other fund Fhi
fund was s1,596.39 in debt July Is
anu our commissioners III May, not q
the end of the year, made one trans
fer thereby putting this fund in del
again. Our commissioners In Octobe
made another transfer, viola ting tn
law twice in one year and leaving /
{ this fund Nov. 1st not enough cash
! treasury to feed our prisoners in ia
q two days.
: now call yous attention to the a,
q | aitor,s report, which says that /
y thinks the commissioners have no rigl
to borrow money and that the con
| missioners have not borrowed mons
outright. but have paid interest f.
the use OF meney. If it is wrong
borrow money is it right to pay i,
. terest for the use Of money?
Gentlemen of the grand jury, ha'
not gathered these figures and wri
ten to hurt anyone, but to do goo
and in my humble and honest opinit
1t is the part of wisdom to find o
where We are financially and to g
right and you are the proper par
to look into this matter and sugge
a remedy. Yours truly,
II l. s. Light.