The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-17

system dHu TtHueT aDSOlutely uSciCSS the expensive buildings Mobile has erected; but. MT. Presodent. have ta- ken occasion since I came here to look into this question of inequalities be- tween the contributions made by the County of Mobile. and the contributions made by the other portions of the State to the maintenance of public schools. I have heard for years that Mobile did not contribute her fair share to the funds of this State and was perfectly astouneded upon looking into the facts to find that Mobile af- ter retaining her liquor licenses con- tributes more per capita to the sup port and maintenance of the State of Alabama than any county in Alabama, not excluding the great county of Jef- ferson. I find, MT. President. that there is a property tax, not including licenses in this State of $1.4S7. .9I29z' that there is a population of something over one million eight hundred thou sand, making an average tax paid py each citizen of this State of 50 cents per annum. I find that Mobile pays property tax irrespective of all ques- tions of license, of $114. .7S4.6S according to the Auditors report of l900 She has population of 62.740, making pay ment. upon property tax alone. Of Sl.S2 per capita against an average payment of eighty cents. So that Mobile Coun- ty contributes per capita more than twice as much to the support and maintenance of the State, general fund and school fund. than the average amount contributed by an individual of the State
 MT. White-I want to ask you If that does not show that Mobile had more property per capita than any other county in the State.
 MT. Smith-I am coming to that in a minute. This is the largest per cap ita tax in the State. Now. MT. Presi- dent. the city of Mobile constitutes about one fourth of the wealth and popula ton of the entire County. The city of Mobile in area is about the size of the city of Birmingham. She has q population almost the same as Birmingham. The real estate in Bir- mingham is at least fifty per cent higher-I speak of the market value of real estate-than real estate Tn the city of Mobile Outside of the city of Mobile there are no cities and no towns of any considerable size and no urban property. In the county of Jer- ferson there are number Of other towns of great prosperity and hence having property of considerable value. The outlying property in the county Of Mobile is of no value for farm pur- poses. Jn the county itself there .s but itt'e timber. SO that there is but little value to anything but the urban property, while in the county Of Jef- ferson there is not only farming lands, but there are stores of wealth beyond that in any other portion of the State. Now. MT President. in addition to that there are more railroads in the county of Jefferson than in the county of Mo- bile. There are more large institu- tions in that county. There are insti- tutions there worth millions against in- stitutions of hundreds of thousands In Mobile In fact there are no great in stitutions in Mobile. and yet the city of Mobile equal in size and popu- lation to the city of Birmingham con- tributes to the States fund more than the city of Birmingham. Now, MT. President. my friend says. is that not because she has more property. Every man within the sound of my voice knows that 1t is not rue that values of property in the city of Mobile ex- ceeds the value of property in the clty of Birmingham. and I can come to but one conclusion and that is that the city of Mobile simply pays more upon an equal amount If )rD oscty. l will say by way of concession. more than does the city of Birmingham.
 M
 me to make a motion 70 extend time ten minutes?
 ITpcn vote the time was extended ten minutes.
 Mr Smitl.-Now. MT. President ant gentlemen of the Conve ltion. JeHerson County pays a property tax on S2l''- 41233 and has a population of one nun dred and forty thousand four dunofed and twenty making the payment per
 a bile of S1S2 per capita.
 MT Write-I wish to ask the gentle man if he is pct mistaken. If Jeffer. son does not pay tax to the extent or $269 GOO?
 Mir Smith-She does not on property. She does on her license and special taxes. but not on property tax
 Mir White-Against $llS000 for MO- bic?
 MT Smith-I big your pardon. This license tax is taken out while Jeffer yon's is included in these figures Of yours. If my friend will look on page Is of the Auditors report, he will md the figures am giving him, making Jeffersons payment $1.54 against 1S2 oy Mobile or difference of 2s cents. If she paid at the same rate as Mobile, Ihe would have to pay $393l7,6O more han she now pays. while her liquor icense tax is only $34,SOO. So that, If The County of Jeffe' son pad on the lame basis as the County of Mobile, md took out her license tax, she would ind herself obligated to pay $5000 int ) he State Treasury more than she now pays. Montgomery is the next closest 70 Mobile. MontGomery pays a proper ly tax of $110.054.74. and has popula- ion of 72,0f making a payment of j. 40 per capital or 42 cents per capita less than Mobile. If she paid at the ,ama rate as Mobile. she would pay i30 259 O4 more than she now pays in, and her liquor licenses only $24, 700 so that Montgomery, If she went on on .he same basis per capita and kept her licenses she would have to pay in 5000 more than she now pays in. There is ton by name. because there is no dis cussioL as u that county at present, hut it is one that I understood was go- ing to make an amendmenD. whose tax Is $21, ,56I.S2 Her population is 26J59 making a payment of so cents, which Is the average per capita all over the State. or $1O2 less than Mobile. If she paid at tho rate Mobile pays, 1t would cot her $27,090 more than she now pays. and her liquor licenses is only $3,050 and, besides that, she gets the beneflt of s7,500 on her Normal School. SO if she came in on the same basis as Mobile County she would pay more than twice the amount ot taxes she now pays into the State. Now. then on the question of property