The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-22
VOX POPULI.
HoUSTON'S TAX PLAN AND
WHAT IT MEANS FOR A CITY
) q . 80 . e . - %%~%~ :

and their seasons for their optimism
will likely bring you a little tract with
| this conspicuously displayed cover to
face you on opening your letter.
| The Reason Why Houston Texas Is
Growing.
Land Taxed-70 per cent
Improvement Land Taxed-25 per
cent.
Cash. household furniture, stocks.
bonds and mortga gesANo tax.
Tax rate OF 1912 was $3.50 per 800
valuation.
Open the pamphlet and you ill
read all that the city is doing, and
that is a lot, and how simply and sat
isfactoT-ily the plan of taxation is
working.
There is q text in the simple state
ment quoted for a volume on the
prosperity of u growing and anbi-
tious city
Cur present troubles will have
served a good purpose if they make
Us frankly take stock and think like
rational beings.
The first thought is naturally that
the timber and lumber business as
main dependence must belong TO
the past. The failure of the oldest
and largest exporting house here is
but an indication of this.
Then we must all know that the
exhaustion OF the naval stores is tax
ing place just a. rapidly as the market
prices make it possible; and but a few
years more will tell the tale Of that in
dustry.
All agree on one thing: If We are
to grow we must have pay rolls;
we must have new industries. We
ali
tries of Importance, our fisheries alone
can be permanent. All likewise agree
that we must do something to help
ourselves.
The United States government is
under no obligation to furnish us
navy yard and barracks full Of SOL
diers
Some of our boosting citizens have
boosted and doomed and done all that
agitation can do. The results of their
endeavors came to naught because we
offer nothing but a grand body OF
water, a fine climate, Cloth God-given)
high priced real estate oman made by
the boomers) and a promise Of a high
tax on any capital that those we invite
to come in. Stop about any thoughtful
citizen on Palafox street and ask him
what he thinks of the causes of our
present troubles If his answer is
not, nine cases in ten, boomers and |
boosters and high-priced real estate. |
and lending on delicious values" or |
words to that effect, your experience |
will be very different from mine.
1t Is a matter of common rumor, |
that more than one enterprise has |
been kept out Of Pensacola by specu- |
latlve prices Of real estate. have |
- -et1 ff,nT7 SFN-
and others authentically enough to |
lead me TO believe them likely.
For instance, there is a piece of |
waterfront property, about the most |
value, I should say, for which there |
have been several bids, for use for in |
dustrIal purposes. I have heard the |
figures offered for this property stated +.
at several figures above 100000. The f,
price at which it is held now Is, IN |
derstand, $20C.0 or $250,000.
It is being held, for what? That its ]
owner enrich himself by the commu-
nity's work and progress. which he |
has retarded Now this property |
covers some eight city blocks. And /
how much do you suppose our kind /
hearted tax assessors appraise this?
Just ten thousand dollars, or about ) /
per cent of its value
Just a day or two ago I met !
friend who wanted to ouy a lot to /
build a home on North Hill. He in /
CURED the price of & place that was
vacant and on which, or near which, :
its owner has never done a thing for |.
it's Improvement, except put the side |
walks required. The price he found !
fixed at s1,750 a lot, of 80 feet. Those
lots pay tax on a valuation OF $500. |
The home will not be built.
Quite near these are other vacant !
lots for the improvement of which or /
their surroundings the owner has done +
nothing. They are assessed at 500 /
per lot and are held, I understand, at .
$4,000. Just across the street, from |
these there is a vacant block for the /
of which It's owner has T
done nothing. This block Of q lots, is +
at $500, is mortgaged. it +
seems, for $12,0 900, and there never +
seems to have been any thought Of
selling it at any price BY the prices
around IT, it would be valued at least
$4,000 to $4,000.
So much for vacant residence lots +
that may be considered representa-
tive in one section Of our city. An
examination Of assessments in the /
same section will show a valuation
on homes. and they are all nice homes,
of something like fifty per cent Of the
value
The downtown business districts
present a more glowing discrimination
against those who spend 20 improve.
Two, among our best Office buildings.
will serve as an illustration The
Brent building, the value Of which
with dependent store houses. is about i
$4,000 to $4,000, is assessed at
1901, 900, OF near so per cent Of its il
value The BIount building, worth
about s275. 000 is assessed at 100000,
or about 10 per cent Of value.
On East Intendencia street, just OPP
posite The Journal Office, are two va