The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-05-19
ONE THING DOESN'T CHANGE

Representative r. B. Gautier, Jr., of
Dade county, has introduced bill in the
legislature which would do for that county
what The Citizen, for 20 years, has advo-
Gated be done in Monroe county: merge
the city and county governments and there
by save taxpayers tens of thousands of dol
lars.
Under the heading, Improvements
for Key West Advocated blythe Citizen,
are listed six projects, the first of which,
Water and Sewage" may now be lifted.
No. in that list reads, consolidation of
County and City Governments
Gautier's bill contains these provisions,
first, one assessor of taxes second, one col
lector of taxes; third, one prosecuting at
torney; four, one court clerk; five, aboli-
ton of the fee system; six, end of discrimi-
natory tax assessing and collecting.
Now if Dade, with its almost 100000
population, feels the necessity of such a
law. how much more does a county as small
as Monroe need consolidation? Further,
proportionately many more people reside in
Key West as compared with the rest of Mon
roe than live in Miami as compared with the
other parts of Dade county Take Key West
out of Monroe, and there would be little left
Of the county from viewpoint of popula-
ton.
And yet we have duplication of this
and that office, at double expenses. And
always bear in mind that those expenses
are paid for by the taxpayer In county of
Sc, 81; fhn AZ hI1l ofI re
population residing in Key West, what rea-
son, for instance, is there for having two
assessors, two collectors. three court clerks,
a city attorney, county attorney and an
assistant state attorney? Any first-rate
lawyer could fill the three offices and still
find time hanging heavily on his hands.
The hardest thing in democracy is
to root a politician out of his office. 1t has
been declared that a constant change IN
everything in this world is going on, but
there is one exception to that assertion, and
that applies to a political office. We are
modern in this country in everything ex-
cept that which applies to public job. 1t
was established by the forefathers of our
forefathers, and it continues to exist, despite
all the clamor the oppressed taxpayers may
raise against it.
The aim, always the aim, of the poli-
tician is to create more offices, not abolish
offices that have outlived their usefulness.
Scores of times movements have been start
ed throughout Florida to do away with the
office of the justice of the peace, but all OF
them have fallen flat, and they will COM
tinue to fall flat, not only in that regard but
in every other way when economy of gov
eminent is advocated, until the time comes
when taxpayers go on strike.
In these days, with the multiplication
of offices by the thousands, if there is any
body who is justified in striking it is the
taxpayer. Florida's legislators spoke loudly
and long about economy in government be-
fore the legislature convened, and. the only
thing they have done and are still doing is
to find more ways to sock the taxpayers.
Duplicate, overlap, that's the poll
tician's way, and he will continue to have
his way as long as taxpayers are content to
dig deep and produce the wherewithal.
vrr n q IL