The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-06-02
CONSOLIDATION MAY
Continued from Page One)

CONSOLIDATION MAY
Continued from Page One)
Legislature to set up districts
for the purpose of prescribing 9
Just and reasonable system Of
taxation" 1t also states that the
offices of the Clerk of the Circuit
Court and of the Sheriff may moi
be abolished and that all state
functions now performed by the
county must be provided for.
State Representative Bernie C.
Papy Was in Tallahassee today
and could not be reached for com
ment on the consolidation reports
And Democratic Senatorial Nom
inee William R. Neblett declined
to comment extensively on the
proposal, saying only that if the
question arose, he would insist
that it be placed before the people
in referendum.
Sponsor Needed
Either Papy or Neblett woult
presumably have to sponsor legis
lation setting up a charter ant
the referendum.
Following is the complete text
of the Constitutional Amend.
ment:
"Article 8, Section 10: LEGIS.
LATIVE POWER OVER THE
CITY OF KEY WEST AMI
MONROE COUNTY-The Legis.
lature shall have the power to es.
tablish, alter or abolish a mu.
nicipal corporation to be known
as the City of Key West, extend
ing territorially throughout the
present limits of Monroe County,
in the place of any or all county,
district, municipal and local gov.
ernments, boards, bodies and Of
ficers, constitutional or statutory,
legislative, executive, judicial or
administrative, and shall prescribe
the jurisdiction, powers, duties
and functions of such municipal
corporations, legislative, execu-
tive, judicial or administrative,
and its boards, bodies and Off
GERS, to divide the territory in
Guided in such municipality into
subordinate districts and to pre-
scribe a just and reasonable sys-
tenn of taxation for such munich
pality and districts and to fix the
liability of such municipality and
districts. Bonded and other in
existing at the time OF
the establishment of such a mu-
nicipality, shall be enforceable
only against property taxable
therefor. The Legislature shall,
from time to time, determine what
portion of said municipality is a
rural area, and a homestead in
such rural area shall not be lin
tied if in a city or a town.
Such municipality may exercise
all the powers of municipal cor
poration and shall also be recog-
nized as one of the legal political
subdivisions of the state with the
duties and obligations of a county
and shall be entitled to all the
powers rights and privileges, In
representation in the state
legislature, which would accrue to
it if it were a county. All property
of Monroe County, and of the mum
cipality in said county shall vest
in such municipal corporation
when established as herein provid.
ed. The officers of the Clerk of the
Circuit Court and Sheriff shall moi
be abolished but the Legislature
may prescribe tho time WIZ -
the method by which, such offices
may be fileu ana ~
ton to be paid such officers, ant
may vest in them additional pow
ers and duties. No county office
shall be abolished or consolidated
with another office without making
provisions for the performance o
all state duties now or hereafte'
prescribed to be performed by Law
by such county officer. Nothing
contained herein shall conflict will
Section 20 of Article 3 of the Cons
titution of the State of Florida, ex
cept as to provisions there in a
related to regulating the jurisdic
ton and duties of any class of of
ficers, to summon grand and petl
juries, to assessing and collecting
taxes for county purposes and t
regulating the fees and compensa
ton of county officers. No law au
thorizing or abolishing OF Sucl
municipal corporations pursuant t
this section shall become operative
or effective until approved by
majority of the qualified eleclor
participating in an election held il
said county, but so long as sue
municipal corporation exists unde
this section, the Legislature ma,
amend or extend the law authoriz
ing the same without referendum
o the qualified voters unless tn
legislative Act providing for sue,
amendment or extension shall pre-
vide for such referendum"