The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-30
Summary Of Legislative Activity
Ly CLYDE :. BAsER Flord ,~ WIS Service Staff Writer

TALLAHASSEE, May 30.-The
big news right now from the leg
islative halls is the bitter fight
made by county commissioners,
budget boards, chambers of COM
merce, real estate organizations,
bankers, business men and prop
erty owners against Governor
Hollands proposed reform in the
local tax system of the state.
Even Comptroller Jim Lee APP
peared before the House Finance
and Taxation Committee and
said that the creation of a State
Tax Commission would 'be just
one more step toward killing
local self government by taking
tax control away from the peo-
pie paying the bills and bringing
it up to Tallahassee.
In the first legislative sum-
mary this commentator wrote, he
pointed out that while these va
rious tax-reform proposals made
by the Brookings Institute had
the tentative approval of Cover
nor Holland, they were not like
ly to find favor with local taxing
authorities and would be OBJ
noXious to many property own
ers and others. However. as
time passed without any protests
being made against this tax-re-
form legislation, your humble
servant began to think he had
gotten out on the far end of a
very skinny limb and was hop
ins he was so inconspicuous
that no one would bother to shake
him off.
Practically everyone agrees
that our present antiquated tax
system needs overhauling badly,
but Governor Hollands proposal
10 create Q State Tax Commits
sioner with practically absolute
authority over assessment valua-
tions. has raised such storm OF
protest from every part of the
state that it is probable some
compromise will now be propos-
ed to eliminate the more objec-
tionable provisions. The COVER
nor has proved before that he is
proficient in working out accept
able compromises and may do SC
in this case. If he doesn't. you
can look for bitter fight and
one which win not end with the
present session.
T And another matter that is
| we'll worth attention now is the
| question of where is the money
| coming from II meet appropria-
lions ALREADY made and those
which appear likely to be passed
If the legislature continues lis
present trend of passing appro.
nriation7 without providing suf.
ficient revenue 70 paw them, Gov
/ ernor Holland NAV he forced by
! neceesitv 10 break former Gov
/ erpo~ Core's VITO record follow
inc the 1879 session.
Las week the legislature pass
ed m ~, rai~iua the cost al
automobile tars five dollars fol
al cars cxccpt tho ones now il
the low-weight SIS bracket Thi.
act affects 400 900 car owner.
and win raise an additional 81.
$40 ~ 80 re1lare the money
whirh win ho lost 10 he echo0
fund when the gross receipt,
tax act is repealed.
However. II Is worth notinG
that the gross receipts act hal
not been repealed IS vet Th'
gross receiuts TAX is tied II
with the chain-ssore license act
A bitter fight is now developing
over the proposed reduction II
chain-store licenses which wouls
reduce the too Zee on the biggeS
chain stores from $500 20 s19l
csch. Ard the fight IS delaying
reuesl Of the Gross receipts tax
II this flght should develop I,
such = STAGE that the gross ~
ceipts tax IS not repealed. tn
school fund would receive boil
the increase 10 license tags arr
ne gross receipts taxes as bo;l
are earmarkcei frx that fund