The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-29
drsd and slxty-sIx mlllionss '

Mir. Foster-If there Is a seventeen
 million increase. won't 1t make 1t two
 hundred and eighty-three million? Mir. Browne-Yest but do not count on Its being seventeen. We have only heard from thirty-six counties alto- gether- Mir. Foster-I will ask the gentleman
 If the two hundred and sixty-six mill
 lion was not for the year 1900, and the
 present years assessment is not about
 eight million over that?
 MT. Browne-It will be at least twelve million over that of this year. upon which we-collect taxes this fall.
 MT. Foster-Will the increase this
 wear be about twelve million also?
 MT. Browne-That is the increase for this year.
 MT. Foster-I mean the increase next
 October.
 MT. Browne-We do not know what that will be.
 Mir. Foster-I thought that was it.
 MT. Browne-No this increase have
 here is an actual increase this year over last, upon which increased assess
 ment we collect taxes this fall. It is
 $S, 445, 900 from thirty-six counties, leav-
 ing thirty counties to be heard from.
 have received in reply to these let
 ters I have written to the probate
 judges, asking simply two questions, in several instances communications from them urging that this Constitutional Convention enact some measure that would tend to cause some law to be en- acted looking to the equalization of taxation over the Stae. l introduced an amendment to the report of the Committee on Executive Department few days ago, providing that certain State officers should be a Board of "a " ly laid upon the table. Some of the probate judges write me that In their counties property is not assessed at over fifty cents of it's actual value. Now the point that I wish to make right there is this: as you lower the rate of taxation. you increase the tax able value of the property, and as you increase the taxable value of property you lower the rate.
 Now I have examined the records with regard to the rate of taxes col lected by great many of the cities of the United States. We have heard different towns and localities in Alabama say look what a grand city Chicago is, and it never could have been such a magnifi- cent city, if they had not levied and collected rate of taxation of $5. 50 upon every hundred dollars worth of property. Go and look at the record, and you will see that it is the universal rule in. Chicago for the Board of As- sessors to assess the property at 10 per cent. of it's value. Now when you figure it on that basis, Chicago has a rate of 55 cents.
 Illinois and Indiana levy a larger rate of taxation than Alabama, but it Is officially known and stated that the assessable value of the real and per- sonal property that is given in for taxes in both of those States at only from 20 to 25 per cent. of it's real value. By looking at the figures in Alabama you will see that when taxes are raised, the values do not go up quite so rap idly. There is no doubt that the re- duction of the rate from 75 to 65 cents will of itself increase the value suffi- ciently to make up for the difference.
 Now. MT. President, in con- clusion, desire to say that as far as am concerned. I do not desire this reduction of taxation for the benefit of the poor farmer alone, of whom we have heard so much upon the floor of this Convention. I desire 1t mainly in the interest of the welfare and industrial development of the State of Alabama. Georgia col lects a State tax of 55 cents; Tennes- see collects 50: Louisiana limits it to 50 in her Constitution. Industries and capital will not come to Alabama and locate where you have fixed lien on their property of 75 cents upon the $10O, when they can go to States which have equal advantages, and where the lien is much less. Georgia, it IS true. has no constitutional limit upon the rate of taxation, but she has now rate of 8 little over 55, less than 56, for all purposes. and that is considered in that State an exorbitant rate. and is the highest rate that they have had for several years. It Is well known fact that the rate of taxation in Chat tanooga was the cause of building Roseville in Georgia. Hundreds of thousands of dollars came to Chatta- nooga fer investment in manufactur- ing industries but the rate Of taxa ton was high and they went a mile and a half, into Georgia line. and put down hundreds of thousands of dol lars of property.
 MT. Howze-I desire to offer an amendment.
 The amendment was read as follows:
 Amend Section 4 by striking out the words "sixty-fve," and inserting in lieu thereof the words "seventy-hVe, and adding at the end of the section the following: flor two years succeed | ing the OL liC N~OiiSbAIu'AOAi' after which no greater rate than sixty five one-hundredths of one per centum shall be levied"
 MT Howze-In offering the amend | ment I feel somewhat embarrassed for | two reasons. In the first place, dis like very much to appear antagonistic | to this able Committee on Taxation, | which I am satisfied have thoroughly | the S bject; in the second | place, I do not want to appear as if 1 am antagonistic to a reduction of the | taxes, because I am not; but 1t seems | to me, MT. President, and gentlemen. l that there is some little doubt on the | statement by the chairman of this | as to whether or not it will | be wise for us to make this reduction 1 at once. It seems to me that the mar gin which the gentleman has present. ed in the figures which he has given, is rather too slim to justify us right | now in changing the rate of taxation. It seems 1t would be a much wiser plan to wait at least two years, until we can get prepared for this change in our rate of taxation.
 If this surplus accumulates, as the chairman of this com mttee has predicted, it would be wise to reduce the rate of taxation, and l feel we can trust the Legislature to make such a reduction, but it does seem to me that we are running risk, and too much of a risk, to reduce the rate of taxation at once. Theae are payments that will arise | every year in our history. Instances