The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1919-10-09

ing down of opposition to county
division, is as follows:
ITO my mind, it is no longer a
question, shall DeSoto County be
divided but how shall DeSoto
County be Divided
For years | have voted for can
didates who agreed to divide the
County when conditions would justi-
fly the Act but have found that, in
the opinion of many of those with
whom / have voted in the past, con-
ditions will NEVER justify the div
ision of the County. The promise to
cut off the east side of the County as
soon as development would justify a
division, / am convinced, was
merely subterfuge to get votes, and
was never sincerely put forward by
many advocates with the intention
Of carrying it into effect.
Having come to this conclusion,
am now ready to support the can
didates for both the House and the
Senate who are ready NOW to divide
the County, and all l want to know
concerning their platform is, where
do you mean to draw the lines?
Like nearly every other voter in
the County, / have my own ideas as
to where, not the one line, but the
several lines should be drawn, for
the time for one division on north
and south line has passed. To my
mind, the future development of the
County depends upon division into
units sufficiently small that the rights
of all it's citizens and property
owners can and will be protected;
and that all of the property in each
County be placed on the tax books
and bear it's just share of the tax
burdens.
"The cry that County division will
greatly increase taxes, is a false
alarm-pure political bunk The
statutes of the State of Florida place
maximum tax for general purposes
to be levied by any County in the
State, and DeSoto County is usually
up to the limit-the law prevents a
higher rate. What it will result in,
is great reduction in the remuner-
alton of the various County officers.
Instead of a man receiving some
assessing the taxes of DeSoto County,
and another man receiving like
amount for collecting them, these
plums will be divided according to
the size of the Counties cut off. The
other offices will be divided in pro-
portion. 1t will not cost the people
any more or any less, but not quite
so much will go to one Office holder.
If there is any difference to those
who are now paying just proper
tion of taxes, their taxes should be
lessened by reason of the fact that a
smaller territory can be more
thoroughly canvassed and property
not now on the tax books and entire
ly escaping its just share of taxes,
will be rooted out by number of as
SCISSORS and placed on the roll, to bear
its just portion of the public burden.
'To my mind, not less than five
counties will suffice. The highland
section of the County is distinct from
the remainder, and embraces practi-
cally the territory from the Range
line between twenty-seven and
twsnty-eight on the west, to the
line between townships
thirty-eight and thirty-nine on the
south. This should be one County.
"Then the remainder of this
County to the south of the above
division, embraces the muck section,
and should be another County.
THAT part of the County west of
The Range line between Ranges
twenty seven and twenty eight,
should to my mind, be divided into
,hree Counties, viz: that part where
is the main industry-from
he Township line between Town
ships thirty-five and thirty-six to the
Inc of Polk County should be a
County-This is the Wauchula sec
ion; that part of the County south
If the township line between Town
Ihips thirty-nine and forty, where
ishing is the principal industry,
mould be another County-this is
he Punta Gorda section; and the
emainder, being principally citrus
ruits, should be the new DeSoto
Jounty.
so long as we continue to follow
he leadership that would make of
his County vast range for scrub
attle where the owners of the land
must pay the taxes, but are not per-
nitted to spoil the said range by i'm
rowing their lands; and where the
nan OF moderate means pays taxes
n SO per cent valuation, while
hose of large means, pay on less
han 10 per cent. valuation, just so
ong will our vast stretches of fertile
and be the homes of alligators and
rogs only, and our taxes be sky
Ugh in an endeavor to build $40, 1000
er-miles roads through non-produc-
i've lands.
For my part. / expect to change