The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-07-11

ItuutilOH VI OIt-uHdIleI MN
which was Topped OFF the State
Beard Of Health millage, brought
about through economical manage
mcnt by the former State Board OF
Health
WAS THE GOVERNOR A VICTIM
or DESIGNING POLITICIANS WHO
INDUCED HIM TO SIGN THE BILL
OR LAW REDUCING THE MILL
AGE?
Permit me to inform you that he
WAS NOT misinformed, neither was
any member of the legislature.
Books of the Comptroller were ac-
ccssible to the governor and members
Of the legislature.
Governor IIardee probably had Il
detailed statement in abstract form
prepared ,for his pcru~al by the comp
troIlcr's office.
Members of the legislature also
probably derived information from the
tcmptrollci's office.
AS information, desire to state that
was in Tallahassee for a few hours
al beginning Of the Legislative session.
Governor HIardee and several legis-
laturs asked me if the State Board of
Health millage could be reduced with
ont material injury TO health of the
state
pretend to be honest and told
them. YES
based this reply upon the follow
ing facts:
First, the United States Public
Health Service and other agencies
nave contributed approximately two
hundred thousand dollars in the past
two years for bct;erment of health
conditions in Florida
The United States Public Health
Service has large appropriations and
ii Il CORDIA CO-OPERATION is eX-
tended by the State Beard of Health
of Florida, ii is more than reasonable
to suppose that the general govern
men, will continue liberal appropria..
ton in cooperation with the FlOrid /
state Board of Health.
The former board expended forty
thousand eight hundred and seventy
nne dollars and sixty cents for furni-
tLre. fixtures, equipments, autOm3-
Files, repairs on apparatus. construc-
ton and repairs on buildings.
There is a balance due of approx
mately thirteen thousand dollars to
complete the laboratory now under
construction at West Palm Beach.
Add the amount of forty thousand
dollars expended for furniture, re.
pairs on buildings, construction, etc,
to balance due on laboratory and in
round figures it amounts TO fifty-three
thousand dollars.
The former board left about eighty
three thousand dollars in the state
treasury from which must lie deducted
thirteen thousand dollars, due on the
West Palm Beach Laboratory. leaving
q net amount of approximate y
SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The former board COULD HAVE
ECONOMIZED whereby they would
not have found it necessary to have
expended the fifty-three thousand dol
lars referred to above.
If we had played Tight Wad' poll
ties as yOu intimate and not spent this
money there would have been one hun =
dred and twenty-three thousand dol
lars in the state treasury to the credit
af the State Board when the former
Loard retired.
Now. Doctor, you take It II - Jo-
sephus, if there had been one hundred
and twenty-three thousand dollars in
the state treasury, il is my honest
opinion that the legislature would moi
have appropriated one red cent for
the State Board of Health
The former board operated on Il
budget.
We spent additional amounts for
MATERIAL IMPROVEMENTS.
NO MATERIAL IMPROVEM ENTS
WILL BE NEEDED IN THE NEXT
TWO YEARS.
The surplus left with the income
from ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT
and with WISE ADMINISTRATORS
you and your board can carry on the
work that will be satisfactory. to the
people of Florida
The tax paying public represented
members of the legislature
have il RESENTMENT and HAVE
HAD against the State Board of
Health for many years.
During my term as member and
president of the State Board of
Health. | kept my EAR TO TIE
GROUND and CLOSE AT THAT.
My conception of public sentiment
Is that the tax payers of Florida are of
the opinion that the central health
plan as in vogue at this time and has
been for many years is mistake.
The people want local county
Loards OF health to be supervised. and
supervised only, but the state Board
Of Health.
The plan of the past and of the
present, but NOT OF THE FUTURE
Is an EMOTIONAL and WASTEFUL
manner of spending public money.
You know and | know, in fact, ev-
erybody who is familiar with the state
government, that the State Board of
Health is under the Constitution
HEAD OF HEALTH so to speak. in
the state.
1t will not require a change in the
Constitution for the State Board of
Health to continue in a SUPERVIS-
DRY CAPACITY. but as admins. ra-
tors, will soon be plan of the past.
Sooner or later, the legislature of
Florida will open their eyes to the
needs of EIIRTHER REnITrINrf, An