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: ,1me smuon mo
ngous'r 6, 19148
, {Iood stoning, ladies and gentlemen. I appreciate this Opportunity
whiqh-hss been given me by the Oasis Junior Chamber of commerce to
bring you:tnt9rmat10hxhich may he new to some of you relatiye to
prepeseduamendmenth to the Florida Constitution which must he voted
upon at the general election in Ehrenber or this year. .
'ihsre will he 12'ameilhsnts submitted for your approval at the
Nov-Ibereliction, of this, think three are of general interest
.' and unlor importance. Ohefot thsiJhss to do ith,an increase in pay
iii of the usubers or your-Legislgturji. I mentigL.it first for two reasons:
a p
it will require very little disasssion, and I an not'ebrtain in own
slim! how you should vote. Atgresant your axislsm§~receive Salary
_or $6.00 per day for sixty days,,6r $360s00 each two years, plus a
mileage allowance which want. to approximately sus.oo,~ for Marion
y County legislators. who schedule as preposed provides for a salary
or $10.00 per day for each or the out; days or the regular session
I and in addition theretoran amount for subsistence or not more than
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$7.50 per day, a total or $10.50 in each biennial. In addition to
this sum, the preposed amend-int would provide for four road trips
tltween Tallahassee and the home or the legislator at a rate of not
me than 7; cents per mile. '
I cannot suggest whether the preposed changeswould be an
. improvement or not. Certain it is that the present compensation
X does not pay expenses in Tallahassee, to say nothing or meeting the
i losses incurred by most legislators while they are away from their
businesses, and for that matter, neither will the increased schedules.
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NeverthLless, I hesitate to encourage a condition under which
I to be derived rather then because of a sincere desire to serve their
' county and state.
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~ e A second proposed amendment, introduced by Perry Murray the
ssion- of the 1939 House of Representatives, provides that the
gisioture may amend the mtitution or the State of Florida by a
, threw-fifths vote or the upbers elected to each house suwect to
Q ratication by the electors at the'next general election and that
f. such enshdsent may matters covered in any one article
' or the constitution. o 9 '
The change which this mayhem: provides for is s materiel one
i in that heretofore it has been possible to sufnd the 3constitutio
I politicians dill see]; election to this office for the monetary benefits
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only one subject at s time, end the construgtion or thegthss been so
restricted that in order to article on such?! subject as
Kantian, or the Judiciary. or the legislature literally dozoens or
amendments would have had to be prepoeed to the electorate.
, It is my feeling that. this proposed smencnnent will be one from
which this State of Florida can eipeot to reap large benefitso Because
of our sectionelism, norms has been loath to call a constitutional
L convention, being governed by the fear that some sections will revise
the constitution, once axe door is Opened, to the vast detrment or
other sections of the State. This proposal is, a compromise provision
which eliminstes the tear that some .or our sectimsmeve of being
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0 revised out or power.
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n The last proposal which I want to discuss, and s most important
1 one, is that to smut the law relative to the distribution or the
n seven cent gasoline tax.
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. At the present time 2 cents or the gas'line tax,.by constitutional
provision, is distributed for the henefit or the county road systems.
Four cents (equal to 25 million dollars) is appropriated by statutory
provision for the use of the State: Road Department, and the seventh cent
18 ,divided, three" million to the general revenue rims and three million
to the school fundi also by statutory provision.
_ under the system provided to? the proposed constitutional amend-
ment, the State hoaq Department will receive 4 cents or the tax, or
25 million dollars, by constitutionsl provision, and the 1 cent, or
a million dollars which is now divided between the general revenue
d and the school fund, will be.divertedto'the county road systems,
igrsely'to be spent by the State Road Department as directed by the
Quest: county comiaeionege., x
The transsnt in favor or this provision is that irvill comply
11th the recuirements of the Federal Government, that L11 orithe
gasoline tax be expended span the highways of the state. Thi require-
mat 'is caret-cod by the name expedient or making Inger grants in
aid to the states for highytyl it Ouch requirement isomet. I have
as yet seen no dollar and cent figures, or even an estimate, or what
gain there will be to the State of vlorids from this provision.
The-disadvantage, or evils, of this proposal are; to he, manifold.
First, there is dedicated to:- by the State. scan Department
an administration hosrd.sppointed by,s Governor, who, under our
constitution cannotgpe elected, the vast sum of twenty-five million
dollars. At the present time it is apparent that the. State Road
Department needs every cent of thst money, and it may always do so,
*but I fear to give any administrative agency twenty-five million dollars
which they may spend without supervision or check by any person or
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agency oth hen the governor who has himse f appointed them. We
3 have always been fortunate in the caliber of road department
embers and of our Governor, but I can easily conceive of the time
, pith twenty-rive million dollars, a political machine can be
.oreoted the like of nhichtthis state has never seen.
Th. second ongootion which appeals to me to this prOpOsal is
Vthat it takes awayfrom the schools when they are expressing ever
linoreasing needs ogfbnds, sixrmillion dollars of which they now have.
At the last session'of the legitlature the school experts told us they
' would need approximately thirty-eight million dollars per year to
ioperate~their program; Aatuslly, forty-tho million dollars has been
} required for school purpoios, and further increases beyond those
iginally anticipated non appear likely.
we hays been advised by Comptroller Gay that at the presen me
ye are spending five million dollars more per year than our taxes are
iprodgcing. If we add to this five million dollars the six million
.' dollar script which wint- created by this proposed constitutional
. amendment the result will inevitably be increased taxation or some
form. the present tine I can think of as tax which will produce
this minimum of eleven million dollars other than a sales tax, an
income taxbeing prohibited by our constitution. ,
It is, therefore, my yery strong opinion that you should, at
.the November election, vote against this proposal to amend by
iconstitutional provision the law relating to the appropriation of the
.proceeds of our gasoline taxes.
In conclusion, may I summarise briefly by recommending to you
again that yoo vote for the proposal to permit the amendment to our
constitution articleby article; that you give serious thought to the
wisdom or non-wisdom or increasing the pay of legislators and that you
vote against the preposal to take the seventh cent of the gasoline tax,
six million dollars, away from the schools.
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:o;yr.::--. erci, I herii anto 1:0:1.:.--P :_:e n 901. I ut ur i;i |-:r -.0:1:-.: : 1 3'-j el e:r --es:1.: ees:t" oc. i:-:: t:ia. arri ce c ,::. e W.:s 1m.er to te siesic no e tiiQr -:-cr:-rs.:--:er : :11c e .re to r: tr.. i r 30-.21-': Oti:i ",itt:. 6 l'-'i'El OJJOSed li''1t-131-ilt-3":U, inL--'O .L -T .C Sa:2:::r -:r 0-:10 la =01.:20 of :a:Recrt-::t t tL IR[-"i t-1ill'.100 'll -ar"IC ',hE '',000t .2 U: ::--. 12 3 thN'0-f .L bl.E '-3--r Of -;2:0: --se:1~::.rses; f:es tt. 1 T'iihif '. 0&\,10:1 l-L:":t' E.'] er:'..00;" :::~a 1:N :.:l' -L 0 0 3. -s -Gl;CB O'110rta[11m:t ;O'j "j'13] G:in a1~: the riirtti;e .::{ nr --0-' Gri:: CC''I t bl.lO'i. .cir -t' -:JI:.I :1:1 T.);.1 "' D--rsr,::1;&im i :_ --. .U. e !. 'n 5:-::rL hereLolore 4 0 r:-ivre:. 7 DJ[:'.iz.,.: '.e --: c nim/ car. ru .:::t at a t.i r:10, 'it: ; -JLe oor.etnet -! o : et : -o m--tricto:1 2: t Ir Dr.ier to ac-vise :-r ;:.702f.' a i?:'2U, C Ol' uld: "l].-.i''l:L'' CF '3910 117:-1('111['112'. Jirif:lldif.Cllt9 '001 .d 0-.:PH: t'ad U2 I-6 2":20 :(12C--] i.CJ t| ..: e C -4 .: t "I T er:~. iT::-: thett til ~ ". 'TOE:OE0d al-.t:t -i.r1 which 1.12-1 :3U:e of :191:'.:[0 "El ext-ee*. to Pr-er .-c -el|-:, -. C3" DOT' 000tic I", E "I' -B I!a". Im&li .0-<:'20 .-:.1 .-. ...: i s oi:'.:Eliti ori, [361 :-021. er::-. b ; Ull: fear T:.n:..t ;'D--n: C::et art" di '.! .. -IZ: r.:OT'EU-2 ti.!t 0:1, Gl".ert[3. -Dr .|-C-..c:!-ic:li, 30 -00.:-.. -i.I'':r DUl".Ol' L't!C'aiD;.fi 01 2.C -.. .T:.3 f. i.r:..'O::03 ..."' I' e .2-: | ..N' Cl) 7:~. '71''7:0%"!: 1;bt C-.-. i. 2(:-130 Of :.,2--' ;"edisil.la. .--.: O'. t -: !'U-.'i|-:P:i Oljt DE' i:Di'In 'L"r!C ~...3% 1:PCY. .i-l:'s.L LO :!-I G---.".:2 ".! -s 3DL-t 01:&, .3 tigta 12 :2[.g. r:.:"j::U.' -t: i--: 11-!, i 2-, c.C .conr acc:U CanDJ.ine T :
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-:. 1.hlt :N;.-t---.". -;. ;..t' .-,: ..'. -. 10 .-:".2 __~i-:r? '".; O -.::t' 'i' ."I ytP"llT' ..1:T .: IEE..3 '.77 200 CO :. I ;t .t, -1-. ---:-.it j T,0: !.. ." Elym'Leti -'[-:'..11.-.:-3" --,2:, 3-07.7 2"...-. i.;c: gi ---co-3..:r,;-.y -|C!"i"., C [2 ':--..-r-i. 3 -i.1. .: .:!1-. .se.:, i,--.2:e r:lijii.,:. C-:.0 r..:vrai.t.;'.":;i:.I thrC-: :;. .-1.:; 1:23.-Ci".-ynj. j'-6.: DJ.J.C .-1 :. -'l.-_ rs 1: .":' t a T' a-tr:;C T ."Q;.Ori-: 1:0:-7 ; .'Oj''. r-,.t. -.:.i;, tl''d Ethi-C 57-: 00:3 -l'C'' yr: | G:. EEC -.:., ",7 --rii-1 1 im! -:lallE:TG, l. i'DV E 'Or ::1| .CCT'l,, 3--" x 1111 111 3:1 10 i ~! .r:: ';:hi a a .0t -ra: ti;0 :: C, 1:: r a '.e:-:1. :u:::.1 mia ta: :.:301 : -.:e.. ... -Le-I e L:".0.-c. .-. ;:-1..::;-1.. DPr"Cl:/ 53 ita IN:liTI. 1 -OLC. CPt-lc GC 97 -i G ---. "" 6:.6' -'GE GT' ''011".1" / CD|T. C E-C Pit':_'--.]r'.0;1t --. :-G .-.. -|'.' .th L!'.e requ~.-e.".e:it c l eCeer r -t, t .-1::011:!< LILE I-2 e''.T:U -b -t -..-c._ 'li'.ir:t :! :OtifDT:::-:' ": l.:2 Ir' s ---:3.id 00 %|;4-' 31-''LC:.' i 1 ( -1 1 -[ -. no et see no deller en t-.lit C Cl".0FC: 1-:'. ~. i I"..? l-C -E C Tri'd.!.endvoitta e c 1; .l. --ne -: !--| -, 12-~rrt, theT'O i -C C -nt -'J: 0-erlif.iltf8tiOE 00 .? .'ID2:...:;"U'.lji.120]": CCU-.I10% lyr--: t .7-1 Et .. t .-7 .'e ;' 7 210'_ 1'100 .At thO I.ri!D-.C ...' rn!' -1-2 t''"a L -Le r ..:7. fjel:art''Ir:rt r.Cladn eye"';/ e 1Ol~ +.--t ;01 1-.:d .i r:.nV nl -T-:. -.t:.: 30, r'U.t I 20:10 CO ;.-i vC iMi' 01-.--f!;'t C-." 1. e:IT -'--i ly--tid i 1.5 ri -:'_11 3 277 \'7!-:101". LIN"? r!lm' E;J:erld N .:.I.3:'l'i'd :Dr. D.' -te .:"-17 -2:"." :--:t'. C.; .":T'
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,n;-..::: ".y 01,1-:0. M.nu tim .lo-.:ger:e.p -::to |1: :s a "::1.:.el'' ap:..cl::tr:3 ther. .to la o :1 ur=:-;r 1:cen Cortum:tc 3:1 a:lt ci:].i ten ::-? 0-74 real -!ei-1-etr;..::r.1:l!e::3 CPE E!Ti Of 0-17 CO'/ePLOG LU'; 2 Ctr. 00:0 i -00)?''d VC Of de n 1-?1-10[1, ldill ':'del.7:-t'Ire 7111]lUE Ell.R:":, s~: s D..II, CE] -Lee:lla:E -:li. : creetc't ti:e liste Of" 1:~r.!::a -J--!:-! at:-tr: ,::.3 :-.e':e E.r:m-. The i:ecos:a ohnetion -;hich airi:esir: 1,0 rie to 1:1-. G rono a that :'. 3 tie:: m:ay l'ror.1 the rehool''Ir-en May 5:e m:re :nn a 0100200812./ ::N/la t'Or f'1.Irll K L117.~..I 3 OT. -.1011[:?? -4 (1 :Tt 10, the la''t :-l'GGlo. of the leialassa tbc er: .001 e. C etr 01J C 3 tr.--1:"CE.id "lef-j ".!i rlT':.G.I'-ilie.Ly I hil' /elf:n I'll1]131". rio).JA T o Oyjerate their y'ro:.""-i::1. i'.etard]:/, CCrt :-tun '.lij: IC. .! I -:' -:.0..-:. requi red 20:enso r.-.irposes ::. 1 N:-tneri1:.::%;:-13;: .:. r origirially :mtioiniseri r.ca n: ear 2-.':e:--. 'elC iMI'/e ~DC'ell C'ul'i;:rgd "c -..:Dip'_:'g. er t|mia -ec l'rC OPc D-'Ott-J nE gro:r-. ii)/:]lj a .g])aya :30:10 .... -p t -.'-:i. -produciig;. If we u..c -Go th'r: f'lve ml'.llo.1 .tellar:' t -.--... .c.riollar Jefi cit whi eh 9::'ll bo arcated 1:, trd n 0 :et. r.a c.. imen:imrrrit thCroul t si L rwyn;-itly i e 1:.arem:.. -. t:a:. er -m.Corr:. AU the [:-reselit 'time -:00 th-:rk of :50 r. '-N!'.2 -! :-1. thir minirme:1 of clovor: 1:J 1 -ion lollarr: cil s e ri.r:n a :-e .:-r -. -ir.como ta "r.elv.g '-:rabiliiteti 1:y 01:1' .:0 T...r.Mo.. It is, the:ses/ore, ic:= ve atr-n 3 -'; 3 37. Wat -nno : 1. r.l.e N-ovember election, '. Ote m'ri: nei. O r -roy 06:-:3 te --.:n: :ter.r ti to Li ec'il arovicio the lca rel a : t-r.e : -|-:10 rito-:men of our :'BroTim te er A eG:Ut.'L3101., m2 -.il-T-IE-:'l;i& L C -.. -..--:!irl 1.:.:31. :'31' "'':tC 07 C [ POrCCO2 -Ghe a; C -,0:ltl..'.Ullillo:: GPilC O : thr: 0 82:1:: Je: t or 'lor -u 2 :Idora com: -0 C e Du -.el.ra :. ;ji:-33% 1.he re:'O .O D to GCskC t":tO .:03" C -. r.j:---~ i 1.10:, dollara, O --30::1 t!r 3Clio
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