The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-03-14
City Council Defers Action
On Proposed Gasoline Tax
Matter Was Thoroughly
Discussed AT Special
Meeting OF Board Con-
Quoted Yesterday

The City Council met yesterday
afternoon at O'eloek IN special
session when the proposed ordi-
nance calling fer a lir<nse tan 81
gasoline and Intoxicating oils ~.s
read On its second reading. bzf
after consider@ble disesssioa 4
was decided to defer aefioa until
Wednesday night Of next week AZ
which time the ordiaAaze ~iu
have been redr.fsed and pre-
scented fer confederation
There were .bout fifty OF mere
interested eiti=<as IN atfeadaaes
with several addressing the eoun-
ell giving their views oa the nat
ter coming before the neetinx-
The mayor expressed surprise
at the practically small number
in attendance stating that Al the
time o. the Inauguration o. the
new city officials Of the present
regime that he had urged the CO
operation Of the entire ci1izenry
in all matters coming before the
council, and requested that IN
future al having any suggestions
or grievances to appear before tina
board. instead OF standing On
street corners expressing their
opinions or criticizing what i BE-
ing done by the council in nat
tiers pertaining % the eTty-
Lester Gives Address
Attorney ]. Lancel0t Lester
gave an address which lasted far
an hour in which ne registered op-
position against the passage Of
the gasoline ordinance, stating
that he felt that the imposition
Of this tax would prove detri-
mental 10 the city as = whole he
cited facts and figures showing
that there were but . very few
cities in Florida which mas a gas0-
line tax Of this nature, and fur
Their remarked that IN the cites
where It did exist, that II had
proved to be a drawback instead
Of a help, with many e0mmuni-
ties having abandoned the prac-
tice after having tried It as an
experiment with a view Of secur-
ing additional revenue
Mr.. Lester stated that even
the fishermen, sponge fishermen.
and all others operating boats for
a livelihood would be affected.
aside from the many pleasure
craft. and said that he felt that
the imposing Of a gas tax would
prove very unpopular as there
are so many people that are m
able to meet this requirement
Attorney Lester in Leu Of a
gasoline tax. suggested that q
movement be started for the col
lection o. current and delinquent
taxes on the installmenf plan. He
said that II a certain number Of
tax payers were approached and
offered the alternative Of paying
in partial payments instead Of
the total amount a. assessed
against them. that he felt that
they would be more than glad 20
accept the proposition wherein
the city wo=ld be able TO collect
a certain amount each month IN
order TO operate its various de-
paTtments.
He suggested that the amount
be fixed at two or three dollars
per month. with q possible five
hundred or more citizens agree
ing To pay this amount. which
would br'ng into the city from q
thousand 20 fifteen hundred dol
lars per month. He concluded BY
saying that in this way. the eiti-
zens would become tax-eonsc;ous,
fully realizing their responsibility
n this way toward coming 20 TIRE
assistance Of the city which i %
badly in need o. revenue IT this
time TO properly function
Charles TayIor Heard
Charles Taylor, manager Of the
Porter Dock Company. was the
next speaker. who stated that the
passage Of the gasoline ordinance
would Be detrimental % the Texas
OIL Company. which he represents.
in the sale OF their prodnets- He
(COntinued On PAGE Fourl