The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-11-26
COLONEL BOB" CONVERTED

Editor Star: 1 have never before
been in favor of bonding the county
for good roads, but the arguments
given by those opposing bonds have
convinced me that it is best for the
county to bond and build better
system of public roads.
The total assessed valuation of all
property on the county tax books is
| $7,785,583. On this we pay annually
county road tax of 8 mills on the
dollar, which makes $62 ,2S4.66 yearly.
In addition to this, we pay a two-mill
road tax to the state, which amounts
to $15,571.17. This. added to the
county road tax makes $77,855.S5.
Then add this to Marion county's
quota of the automobile license tax,
which amounts to between $4,000
and $4,000 per year. All this added
together makes about $4,000 per
year the taxpayers of Marion county
are paying out for road fund.
Under the present system, what do
we get in return for this? Answer:
Roads repaired and built up one week
and washed away the next, hog holes,
washouts, uneven and unsatisfactory
tc drive horse or motor vehicle over
With the exception of a few low
places in the roads. | think it would
be better to take the rock and clay off
the roads and go back to the old sys-
| tenn of Is years ago, when the road
hands were summoned out to work
the roads eight days in each year.
Save that $4,000 per year to the tax
payers or boldly accept our quota of
the 100000 appropriation by the
federal and state governments, meet
them half way on our part and build
the state roads through our county
and let the state take them over as
it proposes to do and keep them for
ever in good repair, without expense
to the county. The balance of the
bond fund would go to building later
Ial roads out in the rural districts,
where in certain sections they have
never had the benefits of hard surfac-
led roads. The roads would be built
Iby contract by contractors of exper-
fence in road building. equipped with
lup-to-date machinery, material and
an approved road engineer who would
see that the roads were built accord
ing to contract and the welfare of the
Icounty guarded and cared for.
The width of the roads: l would
much rather have a road out through
the rural districts only nine feet wide,
built on lasting foundation, with as
phalt covering at a cost of $4,000 per
mile, than to have a road thirty-six
feet wide of same material at cost
of $4,000. The greatest good to the
greatest number should be our motto.
At the rate of road taxes this year
in Marion county. in the next ten
years we will have paid 1895, 900, very
near million, and Judging the future
by the past. no better roads then than
now, under the present system.
l note the biggest objection to road
bonds comes from the Fellowship,
Lowell, Reddick. Summerfeld and An
thony neighborhoods, from the very
people who have the best roads that
. can be built under the present expen-
sive system. suppose they are sat
isfied with the roads they now have
J and would rather pay the two-mill
state road tax to build good roads in
} other counties, than vote for bonds to
help build good roads in the outlying
. districts of this county for the benefit
of their own fellow citizens who have
; nc hard surfaced roads.
l have heard it intimated that some
of the voters along the Dixie High
way would vote against bonds and
then demand the county commission
.ers to issue four-year, six per cent.
scriD under the Special act of the
extraordinary session of the legisla-