The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-04-17
COUNTY BOARD
LIFTS BURDEN
OFF TAXPAYERS
Occurring THE APPROVAL OF
DILLON, THOMPSON & CLAY OF
$4,000 BOND ISSUE AVOIDS IN.
CREASE OF TAXATION 6 MILLS.

At a meeting Of the board of county
commissioners last night, the county
attorney, r. P. Reese, submitted a let.
ter from Dillon, Thomson e. Clay, Of
New York City, OF date April 9Th, 1912
approving the county bond issue, foI
the purpose Of raising money to pay
the legal Indebtedness incurred ir
building and furnishing the new county
jail building.
These attorneys have a worldwide
reputation and devote their practice tt
passing upon the validity of municipal
bond issues. The purchasers of bonds
of this character invariably require
the approval of this firm, or some
other. These attorneys passed upon
the validity of the city bond issue.
Attorneys Responsible for Delay.
The long delay in passing upon this
bond issue was occasioned by the ne
cessity of these attorneys going over
the whole record of the present and
former board Of county commissioners
prior and subsequent to the bond cleo
ton, the clerk Of the board being re-
duired 10 furnish from time to time
certified copies of the minutes Of the
board, not only with reference to acts
and resolutions relative to the holding
of the bond election, but also with
reference to their action in dealing
with the contractors in the work upon
the new county Jail
For the jail warrants issued and the
Indebtedness incurred and due April
1st, 1912, the boards action is ap-
proved and the county commissioners
are authorized to issue IL per cent
S0-year bonds to pay the same.
The other legal Indebtedness due
April LIST, 1913, and April LIST, 1914, evi-
denced by jail warrants issued, tbs
board, according to the attorney,
opinion, will be authorized to issue
bonds to pay at the dates mentioned
and when the Indebtedness is due.
This will occasion and require the
issuance of bonds to meet the indebt.
edness as the indebtedness falls due
from time to time. That is, the origi.
nal contract with the contractors OF
the county jail were issued warrants
bearing per cent interest, by the for.
mer board of county commissioners il
payment of their work under the con-
tracts as made.
Amount in Dispute Not Included.
These bond issues, of course, do no
include any Indebtedness in dispute
between the county and the contrac
tors, for work on the jail building
The $43,589.14 claimed to be due b,
the Blount Construction Company
warrants have not been issued for anC
the county commissioners have refuset
TO pay. The Blount Construction Com
pany has brought suit against thu
county for this amount. Geo. McGhaI
& Sons, the heating, plumbing AM
ventilating contractors, the board for,
feited the contract. and held back some
$4,000 because OF the failure of tha
company to comply with their con
tracts. These differences art not in,
Guided in the bond issue,
Burden Lifted From taxpayers,
The action of the present board Of
county commissioners converting this
Jail building Indebtedness into 30-yeal
bonds bearing IL per cent interest
instead of jail warrants bearing pei
cent interest, has lifted a great burden
from the taxpayers of the county. Il
this action had not been taken, the
taxpayers would have had to pay fo1
the building in four years, according
to the original contract and plans Of
the former board, and would have ne.
cessitated a heavy tax levy of not less
than mills per annum to meet this
Indebtedness.
Plan Conceived by New Board.
Under this plan OF issuing bonds
which was conceived and carried out
by the present board, the taxpayers OF
the county will be greatly relieved, al
ACNy VI l. q Hills VIII provide DOlF
for the interest and the sinking fund
and will distribute the burden, in
stead of piling it on at one time.
The voters of the county approved
the action Of the board last year, ir
their proposal to fund this indebted
ness by bond Issue instead of levytns
the mill tax.
The unavoidable delay in passing
upon the bond issue will delay tn,
board in getting the money to take VI
the warrants due April 1st, 1912. Thes,
warrants bear per cent interest anC
the Indebtedness to be taken up a!
evidenced by these warrants amount
ing to $55,490, will bear interest unit
the money is received with which I,
fund and pay the same, the interest q
9 per cent to May 1st, when the none,
will be in hand, will amount to $277.5o
To Advertise for Bids.
The matter of preparing the adver
tisement for bids for the completion o
the heating system Of the new jai
building was left entirely with the at
torney and the architect to prepar
and insert the proper advertisement