Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-01-18
COUNCIL ASKS TAX
NOT TO
Be TOO "DRAST|C"
Inference Is That Assess
ment of Full Value
Undesired
MUST HAVE MORE Cash
Lengthy Session Held
With Tax Matters
PrinciDal Tonic

A resolution asking Tax Assessor
Walton to "assess the taxes of Pa
latka fair and equitablMe and mot to
be too drastic" was the most impor-
tant matter occupying the attention
of council last night. Just what the
resolution means was not made clear,
but the debate ON Alderman Gays
reference to Tax Assessor Walton's
letter read at the last meeting indi-
Gated that at least some of the men,
bers are opposed to a full valuation.
Alderman Gay said he thought
council should take some action on
Assessor Walton's letter, which he in
terpreted as meaning that Mr.. Walton
asked advice. Mr.. Walton's letter
was read later, and it was shown that
he did not ask for councilmanic in
structions, but merely informed coun-
Gil that he found that the law pre-
scribed that he must make assess
ments for the full value of property
to the best of his knowledge and be
lief.
Alderman Smith led the debate
against hundred per cent assess
ment. He hypothecated his argu-
ment on the inference that if the as
sessments are doubled that taxes will
be doubled, irrespective Of councils
right to fix the millage after the tax
rolls have been turned in. He said
that while the present. council might
make the millage such that the taxes
would not be higher, there is no assu-
rance that the next council might not
take advantage of the margin permit
ted by law and tack on few more
mills.
Check on Next Council
President Dineen advanced the OBJ
servation that if the next council is
disposed to raise taxes regardless
that it can have just as much inf1u-
ence with the assessor as the present
council has, demand that he do his
duty and assess at full value and then
fix the millage at whatever figure it
desires, so that whatever effect coun-
ellis action in the present instance
might have it will not be binding on
the next council and will not limit its
power to raise or lower taxes.
City Attorney Merryday said that
council had no authority to pass a
resolution asking the assessor to fix
the valuations ON fifty per cent ba-
sis and Alderman Rowton said it
would be just as well to pass a resolu-
ton asking the chief of police to vio-
late the law.
Alderman Gay thought that uness
the assessor is instructed to make the
valuation on a fifty per cent basis
that he will proceed to fix it on a one
hundred per cent basis, and that coun-
Gil SflOulu dI lcdSI dSCtue w Nuls war
tons request and it developed that he
had not asked council what to do, bu
had advised" that he found that tht
city charter prescribed the basis OF
which he was to make his assessment
and left the impression that he pro
poses to follow the law.
Alderman Pursley said he did no
think the minute books should shoy
that council had issued instruction
to the assessor to make the valuation
on a fifty per cent basis, and on hi
motion this was stricken from Nj
Smiths resolution.
Alderman Johnson said he could sc
no necessity in passing resolutio
at all, as council has nothing to d
with the basis of assessment, whic
, is fixed by law, and that council ca
Continued on Page Eight)
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