The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-03-16

clearly shown yesterday afternoon at
the meeting of the Pensacola woman's
club, when the erftire program was
given over to the general subject of
taxes.
Three excellent papers were read by
Mrs. NJ. z. Bats Mrs. c. S. Bonacker
and Mrs. Louis Friedman, and some
interesting sideIights were thrown on
the meeting through the various COM
nents which were made. and some of
the short talks INTERCEPTED into the
program by members who expressed
their contempt for present conditions
in no measured terms.
Mrs. Bats had as her general sub
iect taxes, paid and unpaid. and in
her talk the following facts, which
haYe been condensed for convenience,
were brought out:
Taxes Paid and Unpaid.
City taxes--John @, Welcn, collector.
Rate. Fl mills.
Assessment is made on 20 per cent
OF valuation.
Between So and 80 per cent of the
taxes are paid.
There is also a personal property
tax levied by city.
Oct 10 and 81, a discount of per cent
is allowed; if paid in November, IL
per cent is allowed; If paid in Deem
Der, 1 per cent is allowed. but If paid
January, 1928, then it is net; after
that. or February, interest begin.
February interest, rs per cent;
March 1.50 per cent; April 2.25 pc
cent; May. per cent, and June :,
penalties as well as interest begin,
which amount to 1916 per cent.
July, interest and penalties, 1850
per cent.
August, interest and penalties, 1926
per cent then the property is adver-
tised, once only, for sale. Certificates
are made out against property, plus
accrued interest and penalties, also
advertising These are turned over to
the city comptroller, where they are
entered and recorded; then an addi-
tional interest of % per cent for two
years; after these two years sta
tionary rate of 8 per cent continues
until taxes are paid.
Comptroller Harvey Bayliss.
The comptroller holds these certif-
Gates until they are redeemed, and, if
never redeemed the owner of said
property, paying no taxes, continues
to receive income from same. These
certificates correspond to q lien or
mortgage, without specified time limi-
tation; or payment OF interest. Back
taxes certificates on comptroller
books amounts TO over $780, 900. The
comptroller handles no money, but
checks up all other departments of
city
state<and county,. S. Roberts, col !
lecter.
Rate, 491z mills.
These taxes are due Nov. 1 of each
year. discount OF per cent. is allowed |
if paid in November, or / per cent i'll
paid IN Decmeber; delinquent april / !
of. the following year. This property |
is then advertised once a week for !
four consecutive weeks, and sold at |
public sale at the court house the first I
Monday OF the month. The purchaser
is given a certificate OF sale, this he |
holds for two years; then the pur-
chaser makes application through the .
clerk of circuit court for tax deed; +
this property must be advertised onei
month, and if no representative APP
pears TO redeem property, a tax deed |
is issued.
These sales are held annually, and if |
state buys the property, the owner has
unlimited time to redeem same and /
the state like the city has a lien or
mortgage without interest or time linn
itation.
Circuit court clerk. J. Macgibbon.
Tax certificates of state and county, !
are filed with circuit court clerk, and |
in 1920 LOO certificates were sold; |
Coo were in or near the city. The pur-
chaser must pay three years taxes:
present year and two past. This is a
compromise, as the past owner may
have owed taxes for 10 years or longer.
There is also a tax on personal prop
erty levied by state and county. Curl
schools are supported by state and
county taxes, poll taxes and a special
school tax.
Mrs. Friedman, who followed Mrs. |
Bats, and whose subject was Assess
ments, how made and by whom; on
what percentage of selling value; how
the assessor gets his office: the term |
and salary; special taxes-how raised,
gave the following facts:
1. Assessments are made by prop
-ty owners who make return to the |
office under supervision of the as
SCISSOR, and board Of county commits
sioners. If we think the tax assessor
$ not just an appeal can be made to
he county commissioners at their
meeting in August, that the valuation
nay be properly adjusted.
On what percentage of selling val
'e? On so per cent of selling value.
How the assessor gets his office:
By election by people; salary on com
mission basis; term four years.
Special taxes are raised after an
lection held for whatever special pur-
road districts. ETC., upon
petition gotten UP and filed With the
school board or county court.
Mrs. c. $. Bonscker, in very in
erssting paper. brought QUE the fol-
owing facts, among other interesting |
lata gathered by her:
The city Znillege is q. One and is
mills are devoted to general purposes,
he total amount of the fund thus de-
ived and placed to the credit of gen