The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-02
Summary Of Legislative Activity



TALLAHASSEE, May O.
Florlda's Legislature is now get
ting into full swing, and there is
a, definite possibility that it may
ept a much wider swath than the
people intended Cor reaping and
Midet than the members of Ell
IFer house forecast during their
feaiiinaigns.
TW3 years ago the cry was mo
new taxes, and no new taxes
were voted. 1t is true that num-
efous and voluminous appropriate
tons were passed, but no new
scua ces of revenue were tapped
to pay the appropriations, and a
ten-eent pen vetoed practically
all of them and kept things on a
fairly even basis.
/ However, the members prom
Used their constituents quite a
! MT nbe. of expensive gadgets
when they were campaigning.
They also promised again that
they would shun new taxes"
! Added to all this is the fact that
/ the state ad valorem has been
voted out; there is a stable def
icit in the general fund; and the
majority of the legislators are
pledged to repeal the one half of
one percent st cross fecefpts tax.
The majority s65f tffgm sfeften1bef
the STORM mfA't IF 0dfeass which, : swept
many of the 1882 nierhbefs into
oblivion, and already they can
near the rumbiing of thunder in
he distance. " ~
At the close of last week the
LEGISLATORS were hoping that Gov
crnor Hollands message on taxa
ition to be delivered this week
would mark a safe and sure path
1 for them to tread AS this is
written, that message is being
| prepared. For his guide he has
/ he recommendations of the Tax
/ Inquiry committees, the report
of the Brookings Institute, the
advice of his confidants, and his
own campaign promises.
Many varieties of sales taxes
have been dropped into the leg
islative hopper, but it probably
| is safe to saw that none of them
will receive the governors bless
ing. 1t is also probably safe I'd
saw that considerable part OF
his MESSAGE will be devoted. to
recommendations for obtaining
greater collections from existing
source, and that few new sources
will be mentioned. ~ 2
/ Tire are two facts which stand
out now and are worth consider
ing by those who are following
legislative proceedings: First
both houses are. in a spending
mood; andp second, while the
House undoubtedly will follow
the governors leadership. the
Senate NAV kick over the traces
at any time, especially if an al
tempt is made to high pressure
the old members. This doesn't
mean that the Senate will oppose
the governors program, but il
does mean that the possibility
exists.
This seems to be a season for
constitutional amendments. There
is the one proposed which would
write into the constitution the
AZ gas tax split between the
State Road Department and the
counties, and which would cover
a fifty-year period; another
would require a two-thirds vote
for the passage of any law pro-
viding for the compromise or adj
iuStnaent of DELINQUENT taxes. a
third would allow the creation
of special assessment districts
within municipalities, So that
freahoiders within a district could
vote on the distance ~ bonds or
Especial ASSESSMENT eertificats;
and fourth anthofizes TIE gov
lernor to call a special election
on proposed amendments to the
constitution if three-fourths OF
The members IF the legislature
vote for its submission to the
voters. Under the present con-
stitutional provision proposed
amendments cannot be acted
upon by the people until the next
Iresular election following legis-
lative action
For a numbr Of sessions the
artificial coloring Of citrus fruits
has been a bone of contention
between factions in the citrus in
iustrv. This question was thrash.
ed out Tuesday night at a public
hearing. One group. asked thai
higher standard be set for fruii
10 be colored and ionotafef group
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