The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-05
TOO LATE TO
CLASSIFY
Observation-Disclosures
GOOD HORSE SENSE" IN
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
(By RUSSELL KAY

While it wasn't my privilege to
personally hear Governor Fred
deliver his message to the 1899
Legislature, 1 have conned over
it carefully and find it contains
plenty of good sound horse sense
and while it may not appeal to
certain selfish groups and inter-
ests, it certainly rings the bell"
as far as the average citizen and
taxpayer is concerned.
Fred has consistently pointed
out that I'VE don't need no more
taxes" and that same theme runs
through his message. What the
governor means is: we don't need
any new sources of revenue. All
we need to do is COLLECT the
various forms of taxes already
provided for and we'll nave more
money than we know what to do
with.
Must Collect Present Taxes
Appealing for continued econo-
my in the operation of all de-
partmentS, the governor points
out, as he has many times before,
that the taxes we will collect
now as they stand will pay OPP
Grating expenses of this state,
provided no additional expenses
are added.
And, cOncurring, Comptroller
Lee contends IF we paid our
taxes, the state would nave so
much money we wouldn't know
what to do with it and tax levieS
would go down so fast we
wouldn't know what happened" &.
Selfish interests have done
everything in their power to Gre
ate the impression that the states
financial condition is hopeless and
NEW forms of revenue are i'm
perative-preferably a SALES or
TRANSACTION tax. But in ad-
vocating such a tax they would
eliminate ad valorem taxes.
Honest Taxpayer A Sucker
Florida has encouraged rather
than penalized the TAX-DODG-
Err to the end that the honest
citizen and taxpayer has assumed
the role of a sucker and sap,
and the state has lost millions in
revenue that it should have re-
ceived.
Rather than frantically seeking
new sources of revenue, the Leg
islature can do the state and the
people a real service by simply
providing for fair and uniform as
SeSsment of values, full and firm
collection of taxes, and efficient
expenditure of revenues.
Highlights Of Message
HighlightS of the governors
message include an appeal for a
flat rate of SIS for all pleasure car
license tags; adequate money for
schools, with funds made avail
able from dependable source;
an adequate General Revenue
Fund appropriation to care for
all constitutional departments of
our government; the establish
ment of some commission or au-
thority to collect all past due
taxes; additional money of some
taxes; additional money from
race tracks, including what is
known as the odd-cents break to
60 in the General Revenue Fund;
revision of LICENSE laws so that
lines of business not now taxed
will be required to pay their full
share; revision and strengthening
of the intangible tax law; amend
ing the state primary laws for the
better enforcement of honest
elections; additional money for
old age pensions, for the blind
and for dependent children; rea-
Sonable increase in salaries of all
elective officers; and a number of
other suggestions that are more
or less general in nature.
The keynote, however, is con-
tinued economy and<no additional
taxes, points whieh~wiH meet
with general approval of all who
have no specialsaxe to. grind, or
who desire to shift the tax bur
den
Capable Representatives
Probably before this column
gets into print. press dispatches
will advise that our schools will
not close for lack of funds but
will enjoy the full nine months
term. thanks to the collection of
the balance due from the DUPONT
estate.
All indications are that the
Legislature is one of the best ever
assembled with able, sincere men.
Their problem is difficult and they
will be subject to plenty of pres
sure, but they are going at their
task in 4 buSineSSlike manner.
with full realization of their re-
sponsibility and they will not be
stampeded but viii give thought
full and Intelligent consideration