The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-10-19

MT, EdltOr In connection with the
many ideas and suggestions in regard
to road building in districts Of the
county not now bonded and building.
| | have seen none so far that proposes
to profit by the experience or our peo-
| pie in this mattcr-that Is. according
to my idea. and I am going to add my
IDEAS to the list already submitted
that in the multitude Of council some
good may he discovered.
In the first place, in considering a
special tax district we should be gov.
erned by our experience in this way
Of doing things, and the only job
that the county has tackled by this
method, So far, that has been carried
anything like To completion, is the
Murdoch Drainage District.
I noted in the News a few days
since that the contract for this work
was let at 90 10 cents per cubic
yard, to he paid for in time warrants,
while the bid for cash work was IL
1-2 cents per cubic yard. or an ap
proiNmate loss Of $500 because of
having TO pay IN time warrants hut
does this tell the whole story? The
county records show that the total
estimates for work done was S107.-
i27 20. while the payments not only
include this amount. hut S4oO7 81 for
crossing railroads, etc. This latter |
payment was made in the face Of the |
fact that the original contratc and |
specifications included all this work |
at the one price. The records further |
show that these payments were made |
on the q, X. Of the Murdoch Drain.
age Committee, nv the Honorable +
Board Of County Commissioners. The
full amount Of the contract price,
with a very small exception. was al
so paid, while the law contemplatcs
a retention cf % per cent. Of the
estimates until the work is finally
completed 1nl accepted. So. instead
Of loss IT $500. MS indicated in
the News, because Of the payment for
the work IN time warrants Won
should add the s40O7 81. which
makes total OF s134O7 ~, practi.
ally enough to complete the work in
he district, which has been suspend
ID for want of funds.
Some might attack blame to the
Honorable Board Of County Commits.
'ioners for the way i'm which this
natter has been handled hut tho
records show that they paid
10 bills except upon the o. X. of
he Murdoch Drainage Committee.
whose duty II was to investigate and
,ass upon the Eillst and II you will
investigate still further you will fnd
hat all Of these concessions were
considered necessary in order to get
he work done with TIME WAR
RANTS. therefore. the consequent
oss and seeming mismanagement is
he result Of the system Of special
ax. rather than Of the officials who
attempted to do the business Of the
district under this faulty system.
Many of our people forget rhat
special Tax is hut another form If
'ondS. as n tax MUST he levied each
md every year until the full amount
Il the warrants are paid. and all
work. done under this system is gov
rned by the same law as governs
york under bond issue. viz: The
york must he contracted, and can not
@ done by the Board Of County Com
nisSioncrs with day labor. as th"v
pend the general road fund. These
icing the facts. the principal differ
nee between a bond issue and spe- :
ial tax district u.s. with bond issue {
he entire amount Is issued at )ne