The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-22
SOME GOOD SUGGESTIONS
In Regard to Taxation-Tke Reddfek
Statesman Wants All the Assess-
ments Sorted Out

Editor Star In the matter OF tax
alton. let us try TO meet out equal
justice to all and special favors to
none.
/ am going TO compare the manner
Of listing personal property in Georgia
and North Carolina with the listing
Of like property in Florida. so you
will be able to tell which system is
the best.
The Georgia laws compel the Of
ficials to keep a separate account of
all negro property in the state and we
find that in 1907 the negroes of Geor
gia paid taxes on 25,000,000 of wealth.
while In Florida there is no record
kept of how much the negro wealth
is, or what amount OF taxes he pays
1 think the next legislature should
compel the officials to keep a record
Of the wealth of both whites and
blacks separately.
The Georgia officials keep a separ-
ate account of all the merchandise in
that state. which in 1907 amounted to
s35,00O,000. while we in Florida keep
no separate record. ana no one is able
to tell how much the merchandise of
the state is valued at.
In Georgia they pay taxes on s49.-
'000.o00 in cash, while here in Florida
no separate record is kept and no one
can tell what cash is assessed in this
state.
In Georgia the banks pay taxes on
s28,00O,000. The records say that
1877 lawyers and 2462 doctors pay
licenses taxes in one year. To each
and every special line of property Is
assessed separately and thereby ena-
bling such as are interested to locate
the different wealth of the state.
In North Carolina I find the dogs
are valued at $115,000; firearms. s6s7,-
600; solvent accounts, s44.000,000: mer-
chandise, s22,000,000; cash on hand,
s6.00,000. and the records show the
amount OF capital stock. the value OF
same, tho real estate and personal
property of each and every corpora
ton in the state, each itemized sep
arately Also both state and national
banks are listed, giving the capital
stock. number of shares, value of
same, etc, and the same with cotton
mills and all other incorporated in
dustries.
Now let's compare the North Caro-
line system of taxation with our Flor
ida system and see which is the bet
ter of the two.
The real estate of North Carolina is
assessed at but a little more than so
per cent of the whole. Total personal
property about 40 per cent Of the
whole. In Florida real estate is assess
ed al nearly 20 per cent Of the whole.
while personal property at a little less
than 20 per cent of the whole. In
North Carolina property pays tAc.se as
much taxes proportionately as In Flor
IDA.
How would you correct this matter
BY listing property like they do il
Georgia and North Carolina; by hav
ing section IS, chapter 1896 of ou
laws amended so that each class o
personal property will be listed sep
arately; by having the secretary o
state each first day of June furnisl
the tax assessor of each county witt
the names, the number of shares, tn
value of each share, etc, of each cor
lporation in his county and the comp
troller to supply the county assesso
of each county with a report Of tn
banks, giving a list of the taxable as
sets of each bank in the county, an
the same with national banks
1 believe If the personal property il
this state was listed as it is done Il
North Carolina it would add $4,000.
900 to our state list and more thai
, $1,000,000 in our county.
Am 1 right or am 1 wrong
/ Reddick, Fla, July 20.