The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-19
WON'T WORK VERY WELL
Mr. Light Gives His Reasons Against
Separation of Taxes Proposed
by the Recent Commission

| lature passed resolution authorizing
Gov Gilchrlst to appoint a commission
of three persons to prepare bill and
| suggest TO the coming legislature
changes in our tax assessment laws.
Ex-Gov: Jennings was made chair
| man OF this commission. and invited
the different tax assessors in the state
| and others interested to meet the COM
| mission in Jacksonville on the 26th Of
September 10 hear what the commission
had TO suggest and 10 discuss matters
pertaining to the assessment Of taxes.
Our tax assessor. Mr.. Aver and my
| self attended the meeting.
One Of the plans the commission sug-
gested was the changing of the state
distribution Of the one mill school tax
on the basis Of the assessed wealth of
| the counties instead of the way it is
now distributed, which / heartily en-
dorse.
The commission recommended the
separation Of state and county taxes,
the state to secure its revenue from the
telegraph and occupation tax, and to
have all counties pay their own jury
| and witness fees instead of the state
paying them as now.
At the meeting in Jacksonville, !
Il
gestion, contending then and now that
this plan in this state is Impractical BILE,
| that it would be very unfair and do
| more harm than good. Instead of
| making taxes more nearly equal.
it would make them more unequal
and a great hardship to some of the
counties in the state.
l had given this subject a great deal
Of study, found out how New York and
Pennsylvania had a partial separation
Of state and county taxes, secured
copy of the California laws on this
| subject and repeatedly gone over our
state resources and disbursements and
have been to this day unable to see
how it would profit this state to pass
such a bill
Fearing / might be wrong, ! request
ed Mr.. Aver to carefully go over the
| figures such a change would make, and
| if l was in the wrong to show wherein
I erred.
Here is what Mr.. Aver writes me,
also his figures: "You can use these
| figures in any way you see fit, and
give me as authority, for l went over
Colbert's, Graham's and Sistrunk's
| books carefully and they are correct"
| 1912 assessment for county on
railroads and telegraphs $29, $50. sc
| 1912 assessment of special
school district tax on rail
roads and telegraphs. ...... 3.44453
| County gets from license tax
on railroads and telegraphs 1,296.01
| County gets from license or
| occupation tax ........... 9,016.1S
County gets from interest on
school fund ............. 100000
County got from the state for
the last two terms of coun-
ty court ................ 100000
Less six-mill tax on $57,125.13
assessment for 1912 ....... 34,275.O7
| Total loss ................S2 S22, 80
The proposed change. Mr.. Aver says,
| would cause us to lose $22,74690 in
taxes yearly.
At the meeting in Jacksonville I fail
ed to find out what disposition the
| commission proposed making with the
| states receipts, such as the $4,000
convict hire. the S125.OOO two per cent
insurance premium, about S150,OOO
J other state receipts and wishing to he
informed on the subject wrote the
| chairman of the commission but failed
to get a reply.
Marion county in 1911 received from
| the state $6,9734O from the state con-
vict fund. and If the commission pro-
poses to have the state receipts out
side of railroads and telegraphs and
business taxes, go to the state, then
| Marion county will be out just So
973.40 more than Mr.. Ayers figures
call for on the state convict lease
alone.
! l would like to know TO whom, if
the proposed bill is recommended 70
the Legislature, the S5S7.OO0 the state
collects from sources other than taxes
| come back to the counties then the
railroad, telegraph and license taxes
would have to be raised to supply the
above amount. If it would go to the
railroad, telegraph and license tax
side then the counties would lose
The counties in the state that have
large railroad wealth, compared with
other property, that collect large
license taxes, that have large jury and
witness fees to pay. would lose by the
proposed change, while the counties in
the state that have little railroad
wealth, compared to other property
| whose license tax is small, whose coun-
Ity expenses are little, would gain by
the proposed change
! Unless l am clearly shown that Mr.
| Ayers and my figures are wrong, | will
do all l can to defeat the measure.
L. s. Light.
| Reddick, Fla, Oct. IS, 1912.