The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-08-05

4
ers who constituted our larger ma
jority in the bond election, as a fair
compliance with our campaign pledge?
I wish I would answer this in the
affirmative, but in the exercise of my
fair understanding of the English Ian
guage, cannot so construe it.
Our pledge was for tax reduction.
We find in the county commission
ers budget provision for at least two
bridges which might be eliminated,
the Carpenters Creek bridge to be
built out of bos.5 money and the Nc
| Curdy bridge could well wait, as it
has absolutely no relation to our gen.
eral road program, and is only Of To-
cal interest to a small section.
| 1.-THE tentative proposal to build
road to connect with Davis street from
! the Ferry Pass road could be elm
mated or shortened to one half mile
| by connecting with the Bars road.
That Million Dollars
1.-THE issuance of one million dollars
| of bonds in one lump sum was never
contemplated in any of our pre-elec-
| ton discussions nor since until pro-
posed by county commissioners, and
will have this effect upon our whole
program. Under the prediction plan
| 81 800 900 was to be issued in three
years, but during that time $4,000
was to be retired, thus easing the in
| terest tax to the people. If as an
nounced, the one million is to be is
sued at once, but only used for work
for the next two tax years, and no
issue made next year then we have,
either one half million or more dol
lars lying idle for more than year
at a cost in taxes to the people of
thirty thousand dollars, or we do not
issue and sell the half of million bonds
but levy the tax of $4,000 to meet the
interest and that sum remain idle,
withdrawn from the pockets of the
tax payer, and thus from the orderly
flow of business relations of trade, and
which it will be sorely needed during
the ensuing year, or we spend the
whole million in one years program,
and then rest a year recovering from
the effects of an overdose of energy.
IT have a letter from Mr.. Smith
wick in which he states 1t is improb-
able that federal aid will be appro-
priated at any time in the near flu
ture, and so far we have received alb
solutely no encouragement from the
state road department as to allotment
from money now available, which as
you know is all tied up by other pro-
jects, our hope and the promise given
as to federal aid for this years pro-
priation which was expected this year,
and as the possibility for federal aid
this year is so remote, / see no justi-
fication for the issuance of a half mill
lion of bonds and the levy of thirty
thousand of taxes to meet such a con-
tingency. am by nature an optimist, |
but am not now hopeful of any fed |
eral aid until next year
IF this half million of bonds were |
eliminated from our program, and all |
other projects cut to the bone, could |
enthusiastically support the report, |
but I feel that the tax situation Great |
ed by the carrying out of this program !
would be disastrous to the influence |
of this commission, and would tend |
to destroy such faith as the people may
have reposed in me.
81 figure that the county budget |
relative to road matters will be as
follows:
ITO meet existing county warrants, |
interests and sinking fund. in say ST. |
600, 900 assessment 2 mills, $4,000.
For general purposes, mills, $685. |
900.
For general bonds interest and sink |
ing funds on s1,OOo,000, mills, $780, |
600.
Total s225.OOo.
"To which must be added the one |
mill tax for state road department
$4,000.
And the new auto licenses, $4,000. |
Total state and county road taxes, |
$4,000.
1.-THE same taxes last year. although |
the state then levied mills for roads |
was $19S,o00.
ITO meet the requirements of our |
campaign pledge feel that the budget !
should show 4 mills for general road |
work or $4,000; 6 mills for bonds, or |
$4,000; 2 mills for time warrants, |
$4,000; total $4,000.
"As against 1925, 900 recommended. !
under our prediction program (Which |
1 construe as a pledge and therefore /
binding on mel the tax rate for this /
years was to be 5 mills for bonds and |
mills for general road purposes, or |
total of nine mills.
IF adopted your report would make |
it 10 mills next year, it was to be 10 |
mills. If no new bonds are issued next /
year it will still be IS mills less a |
slight sum on account of retirement /
of $4,000 but why issue and pay in
terest. on bonds this year you do not |
intend to use in road construction I'M |
til next year. You may decide then |
to issue 100000 more and thus our
whole plan is abrogated, and our tax |
rate may be anything.
If you adopt this report, 1 am at |
a loss to know what my duty TO my /
conscience and to those who have re-
posed confidence in me is
IF the people, in a considerable ma
jority are willing to bear the addi- |
tional burden, agree TO the change and /