The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-07-09
OPEN LETTER FROM
JOE EARMAN
To Doctor Raymond c. Turck. State
Health Oascer of Florida

DOCNoE raymond =. lufcks state
Health Officer. State Board of
Health, Jacksonville, Florida.
Dear Sir: / have just read your in
dictment Of the former State Board of
Health as published in the Florida
Times Union, under date July 1st.
l have been on a short trip out in
the Everglades and just returned to
West Palm Beach.
Be it known and remembered that
Joe Earman did not start this contro-
versy.
Be it further known and remem-
bered that just as soon as Joe Ear
man knew that Raymond C. Turck
had been elected State Health Oficerf
of Florida on June 9th, he immed-
lately wrote Turck a most friendly
letter congratulating whom he thought
was his friend and pledging every
cooperation.
The unfair indictment Is the reply
to my friendly communication.
The State Board of Health for
many years has derived its income
through State Tax.
This has been one-half mill.
The approximate assessed valuation
for real and personal property at this
time is four hundred million dollars.
Under a half mill-tax this assessed
valuation should produce an income
of approximately two hundred thou
sand dollars.
According to my understanding and
information, Governor Hardee, in 8
conference at Jacksonville last Spring
with Tax Assessors from the various
counties in Florida, insisted that the
assessed valuations of Florida should
be increased at least TWENTY PER
CENT.
Every one familiar with the assess
ed valuations in Florida as existing
today, who are fair and not tax dodg-
ers, win endorse Governor Hardee's
stand on this important matter.
If this is brought about, and 1T
WILL BE, for no official win @BUCK
the POWER OF REMOVAL" the as
sessed valuation WILL BE FIVE
HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
1t win therefore be observed that if
the millage had not been reduced and
the half mill tax prevailed, the income
for the State Board of Health would
have been approximately two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars EACH
YEAR.
1t was reduced by Legislative En-
actment to one-quarter mill, and If
the assessed valuations are raised to
five hundred million dollars. there
win, under this miIlage, be approx
mately one hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars EACH YEAR for
the State Board of Health.
The Bill to reduce the miIlage of the
State Board of Health was introduced
early in the session.
1t passed the House and Senate
without opposition.
1T WAS APPROVED BY COVER
NOR HARDEE.
You probably knew during the ses-
sion of the Legislature that you
would be the next State Health ofieer
of Florida.
Why didn't you go to Tallahassee
and SAVE THE STATE?
THE CREATED is NOT GREAT
Err THAN THE CREATOR
(And this applies specifically to the
Governor and State Health 0ficer Of
Florida).
Governor Hardee is the CREATOR
and you are the CREATED.
The CREATED is attempting to
muddy the water in which the
CREATOR is WADING.
Every leading newspaper IN Flor
ida within the last ten days has boost
ed Governor Hardee until editorial
writer's suffered from wrist paralysis
about his promise having been KEPT
and FULFILLED to the people of
Florida for an economical administra-
tion when the miIlage was reduced
from eleven mills, which was the
amount of same for 1920, OF during
the last year Of the Cats regime, to
ten and three-quarter mills for 1921,
a reduction Of one-quarter mill, which
was LOPPED OFF the State Board
of Health millage, brought about
through economical management by
the former State Board of Health
WAS THE GOVERNOR A VICTIM
OF DESIGNING POLITICIANS
WHO INDUCED HIM TO SEGN THE
BILL OR LAW REDUCING THE
MILLAGE
Permit me to inform you that he
WAS NOT misinformed, neither was
4 (CnncI11ded an paRa Twnl