1962 - 06-04-62 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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BOOK 6 PACE 43 In more than eight years of service on the Board I have never known an employee of this County to become so involved in a political campaign as our present Tax Supervisor was involved in the recent primary election. Gentlemen, this office must not be allowed to become involved in any way in politics. If this should happen, then the citizens of Lee County are the losers and not one or more candi- dates seeking election of political office. The Tax Supervisorts Office is charged with the duty and responsibility of preparing itemized statement of the property of every taxpayer in this County, from which statements are computed the amount of tax which each taxpayer must pay. These statements or scrolls are, of course, open to public inspection, but they must not be allowed to become a factor in a political campaign. I believe it is the duty of the Tax Supervisor to discourage the use of such material during a political campaigns and to fail to do so, or to encourage the use of such materials is, in my opinion, a sign of poor judgment and I believe that it should disqualify a person from holding the office and carrying on the duties of Tax Supervisor. I am sure that you realize that I am making reference to the libelous information which was broadcasted over a local radio station on May 24, 1962, through paid political announcements per- taining to my personal property taxes. This time was bought and paid for by the Chairman of the Sanford-Lee County Tax Study Committee. The Chairman was aided and assisted by certain other members of the Committee, including our Tax Supervisor, who is the official secretary of the Committee. Let me say here, that I am sure that some members of the Tax Study Committee were totally unaware of what was going on and did not and do not condone such action. I commend these members for their loyal and dedicated services to this Board and to the Citizens of our County. I believe that the Sanford-Lee County Tax Study Committee can be and will be of tremendous service to our people. However, I feel that the present Committee cannot now discharge its functions and purposes in an impartial manner because of the activities of some of its members in the recent political campaign and I now recommend that the present Tax Study Committee be disbanded and that the following be constituted by this Board as the members of a new Tax Study Committee: 1. Billy Brooks, Route 7, Jonesboro Heights 2. Bill Makepeace, Sanford 3. Jack Kenton, Sanford 4. Jack Joyce, Sanford 5. Clyde Atkins I respectfully submit that our present Tax Supervisor has served his usefulness to this Board and to the people of the County, and I now recommend, as Commissioner in charge of the Tax Supervisorts Office, that Mr. Clark be relieved of his duties as a Lee County Tax Supervisor as of thi:, date. Gentlemen, I thank you.very much for your consideration of these matters and I hope that you will concur in my recommendations. Respectfully yours, Sion H. Kelly Member of Lee County Board of Commissioners " - Page 2 -