The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-11-19
SHOWS LIABILITY
OF u. S. IN BOND
TAXATION issue
ANNOUNCEMENT RELATIVE
TO MATTER is MADE BY
COMPTROLLER FOLLOWING
AUDIT OF TAX ROLL

TALLAHASSEE, Nov. 49,
Uncle Sans liability for his shar,
of the bond taxation levy in coun
ties where the government ha
purchased thousands of acres o.
land has been laid squarely on hi
broad shoulders, Comptroller J
NJ. Lee announced here today
following audit of Liberty Coun
tvs 1887 tax roll received thi:
week from Tax Assessor r. II
Deason.
Liberty County's levy of bono
tax against u. s. lands acquired
since bonds were issued will bt
the basis of test cases to deter
mine if federal purchases car
wipe out bonl liens against land
the comptroller stated, prepare
tory to- similar levies in many Of
Florida's counties which hav,
been contemplating action since
the comptroller preached the ides
to various assessors last summer
Several counties have been pu
in a financial straightforward BY
federal acquisition of lands-Lib
erty offering the most potent ex
ample of what can happen unless
the u. s. assumes its share of the
burden. Liberty county's schoo
bond district No 4 has approx
mately 225.000 acres. The U. s
has acquired, for a national for
est, approximately 100000 acres
This leaves only about 125,00C
acres in private ownership Il
bear the burden of bond issue o.
100000 which, with interest
means a lien of $4,000. Th'
lands are assessed at only soc Il
75c per acre. More thar half o
Liberty county's $4,000 acre
have been bought by the govern
ment for forest purposes.
Tax Assessor Deason has levies
no bond taxes for the past TIVE
years because the liability of tn,
government has been disputed
81 simply refused to put an un
reasonable burden against the priv
ate land owners" he stated, "whilt
nearly half the lands subject Z
the bond levy seemed about to es
cape"
Comptroller Lee summed tn
issue up in these words: "Supposr
man owned ten acres in tina
school district, and the govern
ment bought all but that ter
ceres and the bond holders tries
to collect the entire bond issui
from the owner Of that ten acres
1t is ridiculous. The government
knew Of this bond issue when /
bought the lands. II bought then
subject to taxation for that bon'
issue just as surely as If that bon'
issue had been a recorded mort
gage held by one man. Unel'
Sam win just have 70 tote hi
share.
eff the sovereign people o.
Florida can't lift bond taxes Of
the homestead with constitu
tional amendment. Uncle San
hasn't any right to lift this bur
den off his lands merely By {
change Of possession. "
Meanwhile. the question shove
to the q S. Supreme Courts door
step the old story Of an irriSist
ibIe force meeting an immovabll
object. Fer decades the conr
has prated about the saerednes
Of bond liens against property
and has been just a. voeiferous Il
declaring Uncle Sam exempt from
taxati0n The nine old men vii
have % give IL on one Of theii
tFeovies-nnlezs Congress come
e the rescue. recognizes III
g1vernnent's liability ard paSse
hws requiring The federal treas
~ 70 pay tzxes for bonds issae'
against property prior 20 2eqnisi
tien BY tie government ard q
nnltitnde q lard buying agen
eisS-