The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-05-21
EQCALIZING ASSESSMENTS


others in Ocala who are laboring
under the impression 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 delibera-
tons.
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
it not been for my absence from the
state / would have been glad to have
given my time and services and
whatever little knowledge / may
have of Halues-and from the ma
ture of my business l believe l know
something of local values.
Although | understood that my
name was published in the daily pa
pers as having been appointed with
others to assist the council in its de-
alterations, 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 criticised 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
that he understood i was to be a
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.
| thank the good Lord that l am an
optimist, and just wish Ocala had a
score or more optimistic realty
boosters. A pessimist is a man who
is offered the choice of two evils and
accepts both-excuse me-
Now, Mr.. Editor, this would be a
good place to end this communica-
ton, and if you are short of space
just sign my name in full to it and
end it in the usual manner. If, how
ever, you can afford more space, let
me add something.
l own quite few parcels of dirt
in Ocala-improved and unimproved
in fact, everything 1 own is here
where / made it. l have received
from Henry Sistrunk, the assessor
for Ocala, 81 of those little slips
which in the last week have been re-
ceived with much amaZement by
those who own anything in Ocala,
who, for the most part, are surpris-
ed to know how we'll off they are
The majority of these slips received
by me refer to property in Ocala the
bulk of which / own, and some refer
of this list of q different properties
there is only one piece that l con-
slider 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 l cannot demur to provided
other realty owners are assessed in
like proportion. My increased valua-
tion is 100 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 a lot in
Ocala at a valuation of 800 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 without assistance from
the owners themselves it is a diff
cult task for the assessor 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 Information for
the income tax? We would come
nearer getting the truth if We COM
PEELED the filing with the assessor of
Ocala of these returns properly
sworn to as to real and personal
values.
l would like the position of tax
assessor but l am not eligible. 1t is
very hard to get the truth but we
can get the near truth" if the citi-
zens themselves will help the coun-
Gil. Yours truly,
David 9 Woodrow