The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-10-10
LIGHT SHEDS LIGHT
On the Dark Sides of the Proposed
Ten-Mill Tax Amendment


On the Dark Sides of the Proposed
Ten-Mill Tax Amendment
Editor Star: Here are my reasons
why ! am voting against and trying
to defeat the amendment to the state
constitution at the coming election
permitting our school authorities to
increase the tax levy to ten mills.
Study these figures and see if the
increased costs of our schools has not
been fast enough and see if we have
not plenty of laws on our law books
without this amendment covering the
school question.
The records of the state superin-
tenddent of schools says: The cost
per person for schools in this state
in June, 1908. was $3.50, while in 1916
it was S4.20, an increase of nearly
100 per cent in eight years, and in
Marion county the cost for the same
years was $2.27 and $6.2O-nearly
three times as much.
The records show that the indebt-
edness for schools in the whole was
was $449, ,687 in 1908 and was in 1916
So, ,227 900, nearly eight times as
large, while in Marion county it has
increased from $6,998 in 1908 to
$84,711 in twelve fold increase
of indebtedness in eight years. This
does not include the district school
Indebtedness.
The tax millage has been increased
in the last eight years to it's highest
limit, the assessments of property in
the last ten years have been increas-
ed fully 100 per cent, the state school
indebtedness has been increased
nearly eight fold. United States taxes
have been raised from about So per
person in 1916 to about $75 in 1919
and now you are called on to vote
to add an additional tax burden on
yourself.
Are you going to do it? am not
If the school authorities want more
money why don't they try and have
the law enforced compelling the 10O,-
900 males in the state entitled to pay
poll tax pay their poll tax. One mill
ion dollars has been lost to the school
authorities by the failure Of this col
lection in the last ten years.
The state tax commission is my au-
thority for saying there are hundreds
of millions of property in this state
that is assessed at 20 per cent less
than their true value, and millions al
10 per cent and less, and millions
that are not assessed at al
sThose who want more money fol
the schools should demand of oul
governor the enforcement of our tar
assessing laws.
If our tax laws were enforced oul
assessed wealth would be 81 ,0OO, ,OOO,.
900 and levy of five mills all told
would supply our school authorities
with about 20 per cent more money
than now.
| This three mill increase, without the
enforcement of our tax laws, vii
make the man that is paying his full
share pay the additional levy Let.
make the men that shirk their take.
or don't pay any, pay their full
share, and the school boards vii
have more money and many of tn.
Taxpayers pay less taxes.
A constitutional tax levy is dan
gerous, because it is almost impossi
BILE to have it changed or repealed.
/ Here is an illustration:
| The one-half mill levy Ca constitu
tional amendment) for the board O
health has worked, is working nov
and continues to do as follows:
/ In 1895 the board of health, il
round numbers spent $4,000, Will,
in late year spent s159, 900, nearl,
ten times as much. The board O
health has cost the taxpayers in tn
last eight years more than 81, ,OOO, ,OOO
Should our governor enforce tn
tax assessment laws and our assess
ment would be $1,000, 600, 900, the1
the board of health would receiv
/ $500,000 a year, and / believe the,
could and would spend that much i
they had it.
j | believe If we pass this amendmen
/ for increased millage for schoo pur
lposes it would work like the board o
health tax is working now, has bee
land will work.
| Voter and taxpayer. let's go sloy
J. in increasing taxes. Let's remembe
Jour u. S. government is on that jo