The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-13

thoritv an increase would be neces
sary unless the governor places the
veto axe on the neck of some large
appropriation bill.
When this session Of the Legisla-
ture convened it was the avowed IN
tention of the members to practlce
economy, hut gradually the necessity
for various bills has caused TINS saw
ing streak to fade away. No useless
expenditure can be pointed out. in
spite of the ever increasing number
of bills that call for more money
incidentally the number of tax
laws now pending are of interest TO
every one in the State. An interest.
ing review of some of the tax DIS
has been prepared by several assess
ors now at the capital, and Wednes-
day the following was placed in the |
hands of the members of the Legis-
lature:
House bill No. Alb, by Mr.. Nc
Donald of Dade, but really bill
prepared by and for committee on
finance and taxation of the House,
on Page 50, House calendar OF May
7th. Obi prepared by and reported
unanimously favorable by commit
tees). This bill provides for state
Board of Equalization to be COM
posed of the tax commission OF Flor
ida, the State comptroller, the state
treasurer, and attorney general, and
1.-The tax assessors of the various
counties of Florida, and their sue
cessors in office. The duties OF this
: board will be to meet once annuaily
at the State capitol in Tallahassee,
continuing in session not longer
II than six days, securing from the
( Estate tax commission such lnforma-
G tion as they may have compiled as
: Ito the over assessed or under as :.
sessed value of each and every coun-
\ Inv If Florida. and such other infOr-
: nation as the tax commission can
S lsunnly. Securing from the State Of
0 ficers named the method and mode
e and ratio of full total value of as
= lsessing the railroad, Telegraph ana
j. pullman Co., and the information
: from the assessor of the necessary
! mode and ratio of value OF assessing
d the aggregate tax value of the real
t. and personal property OF each
J. county of Florida, and win
J. this information before the saio
e Board of Equalization to proceed to
it fix the aggregate value that mus
rs appear on each tax book OF every
is county of Florida following for
IN five per cent deviation tthus en-
1t abling the taxing powers OF th'
K state of Florida to determine JUS
ID and uniform aggregate value OF al
ut the property in Florida for the eur
I'd rent year, this follows the oudge
Iy system as adopted by all well reg
n ulated businesses, and would enaDi
u the governor to at once dehnltei
= determine and fix the State mlllas
n to he levied against the aggregat
al value of each county of Florida, ex
81 ercising the judgment so vested Il
vi the governor by the general revehu
I'll act of each Legislature, and the con
SI stitutional levies now prescribed il
the constitution of Florida.
% This does not take away from, al
to or exchange the powers now ves'
. ed in tax commission of Florida a
tn the matters of going into any IN
diyidual assessment in any and ev
ery county of Florida, or of an
property in the State of Florida
fact the tax commissioner will be
y assistance to the State Board
n Equalization by supplying any an
all information which 1t may obtai
of the assessments of the real an
personal property OF the state
Florida.
Mr.. McDonald's Position on the Bi
Matters of taxation are OF Wit
interest to all the people II tn
state. All are willing to pa take
hut no one wants to bear more tina
his proportion Of the public burdel
I'D to this time it has been though
that burdens of taxation have n
H. been uniform between different SCI
Iph tions of the State and between di
lferent classes of property.
The creation Of q State Board
Equalization. consisting OF coun
tax assessors, State officers and t