The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-01
PAPY'S LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

prepared an ambitious legislative program
for submission to the State Legislature
when it meets next Tuesday There are
eight main points in the program and
each vitality affects and will have far
reaching effect in Key West and Monroe
County.
Representative Papy has prepared, or
is preparing, acts to abolish Criminal
Court; to cut the salary of county commits
sioners; to give Monroe's share of state
race track taxes to the Board of Public In
struction; to set up new charter for Key
West; to protect deer and other wildlife
en- Florida Keys to remove the annual
salary and expense guarantee of 81 1000 to
tax assessors and collectors; to validate
the Key West zoning ordinance, and to
prohibit billboards and signs on Overseas
highway.
The proposed act setting up a new
city charter for Key West was drawn up
by citizens committee and that creating
an adequate coming ordinance was pre-
pared by the Key West Zoning Board and
approved by City Council. These meas
ures appear to have broad public support,
for they are believed to be vital in insur-
ing an orderly municipal growth and de-
velopment
Key West Womans Club initiated the
movement to prohibit billboards and signs
where they seriously clash with the scenic
beauties of Overseas Highway, while the
proposal to protect the key deer and other
wildlife from hunters and wanton killers
was sponsored by the Key West Chamber
of Commerce. These too, appear to have
general public backing because it is right
fully felt that the gateway to Key West
should be made as attractive and alluring
as possible in order to encourage tourist
travel in this direction.
The measure to remove the guarantee
of $4,000 for salaries and expenses to tax
assessors and collectors neither adds nor
substracts from the incomes of those Of
ficials, so that there is no concrete public
opinion regarding it. .,.
In regard to the proposal to give Mon
roe Countys share of the race track funds,
annually amounting to about $4,000, to
the Board of Public Instruction, there
seems to be sharp division of opinion. In
general the reaction to this plan is that,
while the school authorities do need addi-
tional funds, it would be a mistake to take
all of the money away from the county's
general fund. In that case, it is argued,
the loss would have to be made up by the
county taxpayers, unless other economies
are effected in the county's operations.
The concensus seems to favor division OF
the race track funds between the schools
and the county, and The Citizen believes
this desideration will eventuate.
Papy claims to have general public
support of his proposals to abolish Grim
inal Court and reduce the salaries of the
County Commissioners. If no other ex-
penses are added to the county load
through giving jurisdiction in mis-
deamenor cases to peace justices and the
County Judge the general public believes
elimination of the Criminal Court will re-
duce county operating costs. The economy
of the movement to reduce the pay of the
commissioners is so obvious that the tax
payers are strongly in favor of the idea.
Whether the entire Papy program
will be enacted by the Legislature depends
to some extent on the attitude of State
Senator David Elmer Ward of Fort Myers.
who represents this district in the Senate.
On his visit to Key West last week Sem
ator Ward indicated he would support
such general acts as the coming, wildlife
and charter proposals, but said he would
make a careful study of the other meas
ures before committing himself. 1t is GER
tain those disgruntled over certain of the
Papy proposals will seek Wards support
in their effort to kill them.