The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-05-29
THE SUBJECT OF TAXATION
Ocala, Fla, May 81, 1914.

(, 10 the EultOr Ocala Banner:
! desire to take this method of stat
ing to my friends and others in Ocala
who are laboring under the impress
sion that assisted in the recent work
Of attempting to equalize real estate
and personal property valuations In
the city for the purpose of taxation,
that was not present at any of the
meetings. nor had / any voice in the
deliberations.
| Ever since the Boston Tea Party.
the subject Of taxation has stirred the
people. The present city council Is
to be commended for its efforts to
make taxation equitable, and had 1t
not been for my absence from the
state / would have been glad to have
given my time and services and what
ever little knowledge I may have of
values-and from the nature Of my
business l believe l know something
of local valuess.
! Although / understand that my
name was published in the daily pa
pers as having been appointed, with
others, to assist the council in its
deliberations, no notification was ever
received by me and this communica-
ton would not have become neces-
sary, but it has come to my ears that
/ have been criticized and cussed by
the ignorant. The only advice / ever
had that my name was thought of in
connection with assessing values was
when my good friend Chazal told me
member of the equalization board,
and he stated that he was very sorry,
/ because he considered me too much
! of an optimist to assess his property.
l thank the good Lord that am an OPP
timist and just wish Ocala had
score or more of optimistic realty
boosters. A pessimist is man who
is offered the choice of two evils, and
accepts both-excuse me.
Now, Mr.. Editor, this would be
good place to end this communication,
and if you are short of space just sign
my name to it and end it in the U.s.
ual way by adding my name in full to
it. If, however, you can afford more
space let me add something.
/ own quite a few parcels of dirt in
Ocala, improved and unimproved-in
fact, everything I own is here, where
l made it. l have received from Hen
ry Sistrunk, the assessor for Ocala, q
of these little slips which in the last
week have been received with such
amazement by those who own any
thing in Ocala, who, for the most part
are surprised to know how well of
they are. The bulk of these slips re-
ceived by me refer to property in
Ocala, the bulk of which l own, and
some refer to property represented by
me. Out of this list Of q different
properties there is only one piece that
I consider the council has placed too
high valuation on, and | intend to
make my protest in writing at the
proper time. The values on the other
26 pieces cannot demur to, provided
other realty owners are assessed in
like proportion. My increased valua-
| ton is $50 per cent over the former
year.
AS an instance of how unfair the
city is to itself the council has just
assessed me for 1914 on lot in Ocala
at valuation of 500, and have just
this week sold it at $500 Other sales
made by me in the last few months
are on par. This shows that with
out assistance from the owners them
selves it is difficult task for the as
| SCISSOR and the council to get the
truth. How many of Ocala's citizens
fill out the city tax return blanks and
swear to them as Uncle Sam requires
his citizens to do, when they file in
| formation for the income tax? We
would come nearer getting the ruth
if we compelled the filing with the as
SCISSOR of Ocala of these returns prop
erly sworn to as to real and personal
values.
I would like the position of tax as
SCISSOR, but l am not eligible. 1t is
very hard to get the truth, but we can
get the near truth" if the citizens
themselves will help the council.