The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-04
According to His Figures City Can Get Through Without
 Much Difficulty
$30,000 FROM STREET TAX
 IS ONE OF HIS SOURCES
Articles of New Code Which Show Duties of Mayor and What Will Be Expected of
 Him.

Parker the decision, Chairman John w. O'Neill of the finance committee, , upon whom falls the weight of the task of making finances meet next year, has decided that the prospects are bright, and that Birmingham can tide over sos with very little trouble. As he has since Saturday succeeded Mayor Ward as chairman of the finance committee his opinions are official. When seen yesterday he stated he was opposed to a number of plans sug- gested the other night in the confer ence in the Mayors office. He did not think two fire stations should be cut off for the reason that it would de- prive certain residence sections of pro- lection, and might put Birmingham back on the second-class basis for in surance. He did not want the police put back on 12-hour shifts, thinking it an injustice to them and making it hard for them to prosecute their cases in court. He said: O'Neill Makes Statement. Auditor Petersen has furnished an official statement of tho receipts and
  current month and December being es- timated. It shows the revenues of the year to be s677,761. 91 and expenses s675, 24.
 "Ths will show a surplus of s2Oo0 January l, 1908.
 "One hundred and thirteen thousand and one hundred dollars of the above revenue came from liquor4 licenses. My personal opinion is that this de- felt should be made up in the following manner:
 "Estimated extra revenues from road and bridge tax, intangible assets tax and increased real estate and per sonal property tax, $55,O00 street tax, $50 900; increased licenses public utili- ties, $2O ,000 reduction city'ss expenses, 10000. Total, $125,000.
 "Other sources of revenue, coca cola, each dealer, s2O0; street railway and railroad franchises from s100 a block to 5000 per block.
 q am against the increase in the merchants and professional mans privilege licenses. They pay for 1907 licenses S314,500, while real estate and personal property tax for 1907 amounts to $221 251. 46. This is the only city in the United States where industry and enterprise are burdened with the expenses of the municipality. q will state it has been suggested to raise $50, ,0O0 from increased licenses. q am against the reduction of men, wages, apparatus or closing of lire stations in the fire department.
 Ut has been suggested to close two fire stations.
 q am against the reduction of men, wages. or longer hours work in the police department. It has been sug- gested to put the police force on 12- hour shifts.
 q do not believe in the city getting last resort to make up deficit. l be- lieve the tax is unjust
 Wanted Street Tax Abolished. on December, 1905, an alderman in- troduced resolution asking that street tax be abolished and requested that it be referred to the finance committee. Every year since l have been on the Board of Aldermen a similar resolution has been offered and referred to the finance committee and they never re- ported. I offered a substitute to the resolution that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen abolish the street tax. It was seconded by Alderman Klotz. Pre- vious to voting I stated as chairman of the miscellaneous committee at this session, I introduced and had passed a license sch edule for 1906 raising the public utilities licenses $S6,000, and l was satisfied the city could afford to relieve the masses of this unjust street. tax. The substitute passed by unani- nous vote.
 "And if it is put on now I hope it will only be short time before l will that it be abolished
 Can Borrow on Prospective Revenue.
 q am advised by the city attorney that we can borrow 25 per cent of our prospective revenue on the usual rate of interest for eight months. This could be done in case we do not have enough funds at the first of the year to go dnedu. IL WOulu PicfChL SiOSihS down schools or any step of that kind.
 q want to say in this connection that I am glad Judge Coleman sustained the municipal code. It has been adopted by Montgomery, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa and other cities, and I am advised by the officials of those cities that they find great improvement over the old method In handling the muni- cipal legislation and business"
 Now that. at least for the present. President Parker and the Burnett fac- tion are back in the saddle it is in- teresting to note the duties which are left to the Mayor by the municipal code Here they are:
 Duties of the Mayor.
 Sec 3S. The mayor shall have powers and perform duties as follows: He shall keep an office in the city or town and shall receive such salary as the council may prescribe not exceeding the follow ing amounts In cities having more than 25OO0 population, not exceeding five thou nd dollars C$5000) and not less than two