ROWLAND, CALLAHAN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 05:47:55 :

Independent Journal
Thursday, August 21, 1975
Page 4

PHILIP JAMES ROWLAND
Former Taxpayer Chief

Philip James Rowland, former president to the Marin County Taxpayers Association and former chief deputy county assessor, died today at a local hospital. He was 38.

Rowland, of 10 Council? Crest Drive, Corte Madera, was noted for battling to keep property taxes down, and often called for bond issues instead of property taxation to finance public improvements.

He was a county tax official for many years, and prior to that conducted a variety of businesses, including gold mining, fur cleaning and for j__? box manufacturing.

He was also an unsuccessful candidate for the Tamalpais High School District board in 1961. One of his campaign issues was the threat of communist influence in the schools. He finished last in an 11-candidate race.

Born Jan. 6, 1887 in Cathay, Mariposa county, Rowland was reared on his father’s ranch there.

He graduated from Polytechnic Business College in Oakland, and then took a job with Best Manufacturing Co. of San Leandro, the company that made the first tread-type tractor.

He married Olivia Fristom in 1917 and they settled in Marin. The two celebrated their golden wedding anniversary eight years ago. She died in 1970.

He operated a wholesale fur cleaning business in San Francisco for several years.

In 1942 he started as Marin’s chief deputy tax assessor under George Hall. He held that job for 14 years.

Since then, Rowland was active in the Marin County Taxpayers Association, and was elected president of the group in 1959. He led the opposition to funding the Civic Center with property taxes.

He is survived by two children, Margaret Callahan of Marin and Philip _?_ Rowland of Sacramento, and several grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were pending today at Keaton’s Mortuary, San Rafael.