The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-09-09
AN EQUITABLE TAX LAW

AN E{OIl AbLE lAA La
Following is a copy of the bill
which Mr.. w. w. STRIPPING will pre-
sent to the meeting of tax collectors
| in Jacksonville tomorrow. and which
he hopes, with whatever amendments
the other collectors may add to it, to
induce the legislature to pass at its
next meeting.
Such law would be just and prac-
teal; it would furnish the state and
| counties with all the money they
needed, and at the same time do away
with all pretext for the necessity of
such impositions as the "ten-mill
| amendment"
| All property owners in Florida
| should pay taxes on their personal
property At present only few are
paying anything like what they
| should, and most Of those few are
paying too much. Tens of thousands
are paying too little and thousands
are paying nothing. 1t is time this
disgraceful and unequal state of af-
fairs was changed.
| Following is copy of Mr.. Strip
ling's bill:
A bill to be entitled an act requir-
ing all persons in the state of Florida
of the age of twenty-one years or
over to return for the purpose of as
sessment for taxes all personal prop
erty owned and liable for taxation,
prescribing a penalty for failure to
make such return. requiring tax as
SCISSORS to issue receipts therefor and
prescribing penalty for failure to
issue such receipts.
Be it Enacted by the Legislature Of
/ the State of Florida:
Section 1. 1t is hereby made the
duty of all persons in the state of
| Florida owning personal property
| therein who are of the age of twenty
one years or over, and they are here
by required to make true and correct
return for the purpose of assessment
for taxation, of all personal property
owned by them in this state on the
| first day of January, A. D. 1920, and
to make such return of property own
ed on the first day of January of
each year thereafter, which said re-
turns shall contain a true statement
under oath, of the actual cash value
of such property, and shall be deliv
cred to the tax assessor not later than
the first day of each and every year
after this act becomes effective, and
shall be made to the tax assessor of
the county in which such person shall
reside or own personal property. Or
if such owner shall at the time pre-
scribed for the making of such return
be nonresident of this state, such
return may be made by an agent or
authorized person.
Section 2. 1t shall be the duty of
the respective tax assessors of the
counties of this state to issue re-
ceipts for such returns to the person
or agent making the same, which said
receipts shall be in form prescribed
by the board of county commission
ers of the respective counties of this
state and shall be paid for by the
counties.
/ Section d. Any person wilfully
violating the provisions of section 1
of this act shall be deemed guilty of
a misdemeanor, and upon conviction
shall be punished by fine not ex.
ceeding fifty dollars or by imprison-
ment in the county Jail at hard labor
for not exceeding sixty days, or by
both such fine and Imprisonment at
the discretion of the court, and in adj
dition thereto shall be required to
forthwith make such return before
he shall be discharged.
Section s. Any tax assessor fail
ing or refusing to issue the receipt
provided for in section two of this act
: shall be deemed guilty of INSIDE
meanor, and shall, upon conviction,
be punished by fine not exceeding
twenty-five dollars for each and every
offense or by Imprisonment in the
: county Jail not exceeding ten days or
by both such fine and Imprisonment,
at the discretion of the court.
} Section 6. All laws and parts of
laws in conflict with this act are
hereby repealed.