The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-08-23
COULTER QUESTIONS
THE COMMISSIONERS
Honorable Board of County Commits
sioners, Marion County:

Honorable Board of County Commis-
sioners, Marion County:
Gentlemen: l notice by reference
to the estimate of the county budget
for the fiscal year 1917-1918, as
adopted by your board July End, that
there are several items which I, as a
taxpayer, and | believe a great many
other taxpayers of this county, would
be glad to have more fully explained
than appears from the estimate as
published.
1t occurs to me that, if there ever
was a time in the history of our
country which justified, or even re-
quired, the strictest economy in the
affairs of our local government, the
present is that time; when the peo-
pie of this state and county are
struggling under the burdens of the
high cost of living and general de-
preston, with taxes going higher and
higher every year with no correspond
ing increased benefits to the people,
justifes, it seems to me, the strictest
economy and the closest scrutiny of
the expenditure of public funds.
l beg leave to call to your atten-
tion the items in your budget under
the head of contingencies" there
being $1,000 set apart to this ae-
count under the head of General
Fund.-" 1,200 under "Fine and For
feiture Fund" $2,845 under "Road
Fund.-" $1,000 under agricultural
Fund.-" $1,072 under Outstanding
Indebtedness Fund" and $207 under
"Sub-road District No. 1 Fund.-" max
ing a total of 1894 that you have
provided in your budget to be spent
for contingencies" without specify
ing or indicating in any way for what
purpose the same is to be sent. If sc
much money can be set apart under
the head of contingencies" why not
make up a budget based entirely OF
J contingencies?
| also notice that you have, under
General Fund.-" provided for $1,98C
as "salary of clerk circuit court as
county auditor and clerl to county
commissioners, and extra work on de-
pository account" l believe thai
some of the taxpayers of this county
would be interested in knowing wha1
extra work the clerk has to perform
in connection with the depository ac
count, how much of his time it re
quires and how much of the 81 ,98(
you propose to pay him in addition tt
what he receives from his Office, fol
such services. | was of the opinion
and had been informed that the Law
abolishing the office of county treas
urer provided that the bank which
acted as depository Of county fund
and the tax collector should keep tn,
accounts formerly kept by the coun
ty treasurer, have also been inform
ed that the bank and tax collector dt
in fact keep these accounts. If thi
is not true | would like to be correct
ed. Do you not think that the sum o
$3.50 is rather high in payment o
the clerk for these additional duties
Could you not obtain the services o
a thoroughly competent person fo
this work for $1,000 per year? On
who could do the work entirely sat
lisfactorily, and who at the same tim
would in no way hamper the board b.
dictatorial methods. ] was of tn
opinion from what I have heard dur
ing campaigns, that the Office of cler
paid a fair remuneration without tn
nearly two thousand dollars whic
you have appropriated for that off
cial.
1t seems to me that in view of tn
already very burdenspme taxes unde
which the people Of this county ar
groaning, the deplorable conditions @
our county roads, notwithstanding tb
fact that thousands of dollars ar
squandered on them every year, tha
some economy should be practiced i
regard to contingencies" and apprc
!, priations for officials, and that instea
of so closely looking after the inter
est of the clerk in order to see tha
he is fully paid for the additional dr
ties imposed by the depository az
, count" that the people be given som
benefits to at least in a small wa
correspond with the tax increases.
you can give US no relief whatever
; improving our roads, please give :
= little comfort and consolation b
telling US about Contingencies" an
( appropriations for services rendere
in connection with depository a
l icount."
Offering the above entirely withol
malice and for the sole purpose
> iobtaining information for the ia,
payers of Marino county in regard I
Il the items mentioned, the same is
Respectfully submitted,
J. W. Coulter.