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ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

February 23, 1907

PINELLAS COUNTY

When the writer of this article first visited Pinellas Peninsula nine years ago, one of the first

impressions was of surprise that it should be attached to Hillsborough County. The great sheet of

Tampa Bay so utterly isolated it from the rest of the big county that it seemed impossible that it could

share equally and profitably the benefits of the county government. The same impression has been

made upon every other visitor or newcomer; and every resident and taxpayer, new or old, knows that it

is a wrong condition. But to the question why a division has never been made there are always these

replies:

"Wellyou knowHillsborough is a big county, and Tampa is a big city, and controls the county,

and she would never let us go. Our State Senator is always a Tampa man, and he would never permit a

division bill to go through the State Senate.

"It would be a pretty small county, for a factafraid not big enough to secure any attention

from a busy legislature.

Andit would make our taxes higher, you know, to run another county. Our share of the

present county's indebtedness would load us down to start with; and we would have to build a newcourthouse, and so forth.

''Yesit would be mighty nice to levy our own taxes and expend them for our own benefit; but

guess it can't be done.''

The writer has never been convinced of the soundness of these reasons. He has not been sure

that Tampa would try to suppress the rights of a sister community, if the cause were a righteous one.

And he believes he knows that our present State Senator is a man and an official who will consider any

question on its merits. So some months ago he began a careful and thorough investigation to ascertain

what are the merits of the case. The astonishingly favorable result of this investigation is submitted in

condensed form below. All the figures are from official records, and are accurate and the deductions

are conservative.

Size and Population

Pinellas County would be small in area. But the smaller the area the less the cost of

maintenance, and therefore the better, if the population is here. And the population is here.

The total population of the West Coast (taking only one-half that of Townships 27 and 28 of

Range 17, because a dividing line might run through them), according to the State census of 1905, was

7,371.

That was more than any one of fifteen other counties had. It was 160 per cent more than

Liberty County had; 144 per cent more than St. Lucie County; 103 per cent more than Osceola; 90 per

cent more than Baker; 86 per cent more than Lee; 82 per cent more than Hernando; 59 per cent more

than Franklin 41 per cent more than Brevard; 40 per cent more than Wakulla; 34 per cent more than

Clay; 33 per cent more than Sumter; 32 per cent more than Taylor; 27 per cent more than Calhoun; 24

per cent more than Lafayette; and 20 per cent more than Pasco.

But it is the white population that counts for property, progress and prosperity, and the

population of negroes on Pinellas Peninsula is notoriously small.

The white population of the West Coast was 6,127.

And that was more than any one of twenty-four other counties had. It was 306 per cent more

than Liberty County had; 242 per cent more than Hernando County; 150 per cent more than St. Lucie;

146 per cent more than FrankIin; 132 per cent more than Wakulla; 100 per cent more than Baker; 100

per cent more than Brevard; 100 per cent more than Jefferson; 95 per cent more than Osceola; 89 per

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cent more than Citrus; 88 per cent more than Clay; 74 per cent more than Sumter; 70 per cent more

than Lee; 54 per cent more than Leon (with the State Capital City); 52 per cent more than Pasco; 46 per

cent more than Taylor; 33 per cent more than Calhoun; 31 per cent more than Lake; 28 per cent more

than Lafayette; 21 per cent more than Levy; 15 per cent more than Nassau; 8 per cent more than

Gadsden; 7 per cent more than Hamilton; and per cent more than Putnam.

The increase in population between the census of 1900 and that of 1905 was 44 410 per

centa rate of increase equalled by only four other counties in the StateCitrus, Dade, DeSoto and

Manatee. And with our extraordinary growth a census today would unquestionably place us ahead of

still several other leading counties.

The Cost

The total assessed valuation of Hillsborough County for 1906 was $14,025,186.

That of the West Coast (taking the exact official figures for the real estate and pro-rating the

personal) was $2,260,070.

Our proportion of the whole was, therefore, 16.11 per cent.

The county bonds are $35,000 courthouse bonds, which Hillsborough County would, of course,

keep along with the courthouse; and $371,000 good roads bonds, and our share of these on the basis of

the above assessed valuation would be $59,768, or $60,000.Is that a big burden for 7,500 people and an assessed valuation of $2,260,070?

Anddivision or no divisionwe are paying that right now. One and seven-eighths mills of our

taxes are for interest and sinking fund for these and courthouse bonds. And we have got it to pay in the

end. There is no getting away from it. Organizing a new county would not change that one particle.

Taxes

The West Coast's State taxes (6 mills) last year amounted to ........................................$13,560

Its county taxes (18 millsincluding 1 7-8 mills for bonds) amounted to .....................$40,681

Total (not including special school district taxes) ...........................................................$54,241

Exclusive of the State taxwhich all must pay under all circumstancesand of the extra millage

for special school districts, which applies to nearly all the schools of the West Coastand of the 17-8mils for bondswe now pay into the county treasury for running expenses 16 1-8 mills, or $36,446, and

our poll tax will easily make a total of $37,000.

So, that is what it costs us now to be run by the rest of Hillsborough County. Does anybody

believe that the running expenses of a county of our own, as small in area as thisexclusive of these

bond and special taxeswould be more than thator even that much?

Official statements of the running expenses of other counties have been hard to obtain, but of

the limited number secured thirteen are less than that amountranging from $10,164 upand all with

a great deal larger area, and some with a much larger population as well.

And, as everybody knows, the worst of it is, we get too little of that $37,000 per year back again.

It all goes to Tampa, and most of it stays there. Even the compensation of practically all officialdom is

paid there and stays there. The expenses of running our own county would be paid to our own people

and all of it would benefit our own community.

Is it not apparent that if the taxes the West Coast has been for years paying into the

Hillsborough County treasury had gone into a treasury of our own, the West Coast could now have the

best system of roads in Florida?

A Court House

Pinellas County could afford to build one whenever it chose. But there would not need to be

any hurry about it. The writer knows large and immensely richer counties 20 years old still using leased

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or temporary quarters. Personally, he would rather see the money invested in some good roads and

bridges.

The "And So Forth''

Mentioned above would include the cost of transcribing records and titles; which could not be

large for so small an area of properties.

The Legislature

Is understood to entertain a not unnatural suspicion of new counties in general, because the

absurd constitutional limitation of that body to 100 would make necessary a pruning down in the

representation somewhere if the number got to that mark and a new county were to be created, and, of

course, no legislator could know where the pruning would strike, hence the caution. But even that

condition could not affect our case. For Hillsborough County will never have less representation than

now; and the West Coast, by agreement and long-established custom, is always conceded a

representative, and has one now; and Pinellas would remain in the same Senatorial District; so the

change would not disturb the legislative representation situation at all.

FinallyThe writer respectfully submits that the above statistics and statementsand they are true

absolutely prove that the organization of Pinellas County would not cost its people any more than they

are paying now; and that it would immensely benefit them in government matters alone. And everyone

knows that even that is the smallest part of the expense to West Coast people in being compelled for all

county business to journey across a small ocean and take perhaps two days to transact it. There is not

an argument to be brought against division that a little study of the above facts and figures will not

entirely dispose of.

The writer intends no criticism of Tampa and its people here. All good citizens of the West Coast

are proud of Tampa as one of the South's greatest cities. But it is a, simple fact that the big city of

Tampaas with all big citiesin many ways causes for the county very heavy expensesnotably

through the criminal records of a big citynine murder cases at one court session, for instancethatsuch a community as ours of the West Coast has little or no part in, except to help pay the bills. And it is

another simple fact that Pinellas Peninsula is so entirely and everlastingly cut off from the rest of

Hillsborough County that it is and would be impossiblephysically impossiblefor its people to receive

anything like a reasonable or fair share of the common benefits of government. The laws of nature and

of human nature prohibit it.

Under these circumstances, to compel the people of the West Coast to continue pulling on the

short end of the eveneras we farmers would saywould be genuine oppression. Tampa could not

afford that, even if she were so disposed toward us. The Legislature, as an intelligent and fair-minded

body, would not turn us down if the true conditions were made clear to it.

And that this shall be done is now up to the people of the West Coast, and now is the time.

Concerted, harmonious action will accomplish it. Let all pull together for the common good. Cut out

politics, and let no local issues arise. Let there be no dissension over the county seat. Much as some

might locally prefer otherwise, under the present conditions Clearwater is the place for it. Clearwater it

must be.

The writer has given all phases of the situation a good deal of study and research, and he

believes that earnest, fair, open harmonious work will secure from this Legislature the creation of

Pinellas County; and from the start it would be one of the best, richest and most populous counties of

Florida.