The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-11-30

IF the order Of the state tax COM
missioners is carried out Florida tax
assessors will assess property at its
full cash value for the coming year.
The order, however, win probably
meet with opposition by the tax asses
sors as well as by property owners,
and particularly land owners.
The state tax commission is com
posed of John Neel, John S. Edwards
and r. ]. Paterson, who were appoint
ed under the law passed by the last
legislature creating a state tax com
mission. In their letter to Tax Asses
sor W. w. Richards, the tax commits
sioners say, in part:
MUST ASSESS FULL VALUE.
"After a thorough investigation Of
the mode and manner of assessing
property in the several counties OF the
state, we found so great a difference
of valuation and assessment of one
county with another, we decided TO
call the assessors together IN coliven-
Lion At Tails atsssea sos 29h s
rnene were pres ese
vention FORTY 8ut nI hh nfty
and three other counties were repre-
sented by some member of the board
of county commissioners or by the tax
collector, leaving only seven counties
not represented.
1--WE held a two days session, dis
cussing various questions of taxation,
trying to get the assessors to agree to
assess property in compliance with law
at its true cash value. This a majority
declined to do, many stating that It
had been a custom for many years to
assess property at less than it's true
value. some stating that they only as
sessed it on a basis Of 25 per cent OF
it's true value, while others assessed
it from that rate to full cash value, no
two counties having the same basis
"The tax commission advised them
that if they would all agree on a basis
of so per cent or more they would not
for the year 1914 try to enforce a true
cash value assessment. This they
failed to do, and now, in compliance
with law and our duties as state tax
commission, we notify every tax as
SCISSOR that for the year 1914 each one
of you must comply with the law as
laid down in sections 13 to 20 inclusive,
of chapter 1886 of the laws Of Florida
for 1907 and assess property at its true
cash value.
1--WE shall insist on the boards of
county commissioners decreasing their
mi1lage in proportion to the increase in
er sum Of money for county purposes
than was collected in 1913, and we shall
insist on same proportion for state
taxes.
1--WE shall appreciate a few lines
from you, stating that you will comply
with the law and work in harmony
with the tax commission, and assess
property in your county for the year
1914 at its true cash value"
ASSESSOR RICHARDS RETURNS.
Tax Assessor w. w. Richards re-
turned last week from Tallahassee
where he attended the state convention
of tax assessors.
1--WE accomplished very little" said
Mr.. Richards to a Journal representa-
tive, "for without additional legisls.-
ton it is impossible to make any radi-
cal changes in our present system Of
assessment.
1--WE did recommend that state and
county revenues be raised separately,
but that will require action by the
legislature and probably a constitu-
tional amendment"
Since returning home Mr. Richards
has received the letter from the state
tax commission which is quoted above