The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-05
BANKS TAXES IN A MIDDLE Officials Refuse to Ac- cept Reductions. MANDAMUs THE ONLY REMEDY Board Declines to Reduce Corpora
 ton Taxes. state Auditor Brandon wnl Not Accept Rendered Amounts and Tax CeI- Iecter Halls Insists on Higher
 4ssessmeats.
 
MANDAMUs THE ONLY REMEDY

Action of the Montgomery County Board of Equalization in reducing fax assessments on the stock of Montgom cry banks appears to have resulted in a muddle. State Auditor Brandon will not accept the reduction and hence County Tax Collector George w Has.s fl order to protect his bond, will not receive the reduced taxes E If the Montgomery banks want int reduction as authorized by the equalix Ars. they will have to resort to the courts. the suggested method bong 10 mandamus the Tax Collector to rcLeive the reduced taxes. Whether tho banks will resort to mandamus remains to be seen
 The foregoing facts developed at yes- tcrday's special meeting of the Board of Eoualization. called specifically fer the purpose of considering similar re- duotion on the capital stock If eoRa- mercfal corporations. The Boari tdoK action in executive session. after which 1t was announced that the petition of the corporations had been turned down. It was decided not to consider lhe proposition in view of the mixed c1.iIi tion of affairs that had resulted from the bank reduction.
 It win be recalled that the Board Of EGualizers recently reduced the tax valuations on bank stock from almost } one hundred per cent to sixty per cent ' of the market value of the sto t,s Thers6pon several commercial. corpora tions applied for the same reducrio1.
 Every members of the Board Of Equalization was present at the meet ing.
 Before taking up the matter with corporations, Dr. B. J. Baldwin was heard. He entered complaint on the increase of the assessment on the building known as the Kohn Shoe Store building from s15.0o0 to slas000. This building adjoins FItzpatrick's Cafe. Dr. Baldwin was absent on 8 trip to Europe and he did not receive notice when the raise was made. The board voted to leave the assessment at Sl5,- 00o.
 The edualizers also. on petition of Col. Alex Troy. corrected an error in assessment on small amount of coun- try property.
 The question of considering the pe- tition of the corporation was then hro6ehed.
 k BY request County Attorney Blakey said that the State Auditor had de. clared he would not receive the reduced bank taxes from the Tax Collector, and the latter, for the protection of his bond. announced to him that he would not reeeive the decreased taxes from the bank. The Tax Collector had said that he would not accept the reduced taxes except through mandamus.
 In reference to additional applica- tions. George Stuart. member of the board said that the board should go no further in the matter.
 Ray Rushton, representing several corporations, sad that the law was different with respect to banks and other corporations. He urged that the board could legally reduce the corpor- ation's taxes.
 T think we have q mess of the whole thtng,n interrupted Naham J. Griel, of the board. land we had better leave 1t alone"
 The discussion was ts6pped for few minutes while the board considered the application of Ray Rushton seeking a reduction of the assessment on-the half Interest of Mrs. Hurter in the Montgomery Light and Water Power Company building on Dexter Avenue. She desired her assessment to be re- duced from $l5,0O0 to $14.000. The board adopted a resolution recommend ing that the State Board of Assess ments make the reduction.
 The equaiizers then went into execu- tive session for the further considera- tion and disposal of the application Of the corporations. Mir. Griel suggest ed that an <open session be held but the motion for secret meeting pre- vailed.
 session, the board of revenue met and transacted considerable routine busi- ness.
 The west-Stega1l Grain and Cofnmts- sion Company was awarded the con tract for furnishing feed for the county teams during November,
 A telephone was granted for the of- flee of Engineer Bullen.
 On suggestion of the engineer. the salary of county. bridge builder w. s. Jones was increased from sfo 70 SsV per month, effective November i.