The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-16
TAX PROBLEM TO BE AIRED May Engage City Coun-
 cil Tonight. AUTO TAX IS BEING URGED Revenue Insufficient From License Schedule at Present. City Treasurer's Report Showing De- aeit May Receive serious At-
 tention-Popcorn Mun
 Subject for Debate.
 

It Is said that at the meeting of the City Council tonight there will be sew
 eral propositions sprung that will call for more talk. The main question. in
 all probability. will be measures in-
 troduced to increase the city's income.
 in order to fii the gap left by the
 prohibition measures. which subtracts
 from the city's finances. but suggested nothing to i'll the financial vacancy, Some time ago the Finance Commit
 tee revised the license schedule in- ereasing materially several of the items. but this advance is found to be inadequate to replace the lost funds
 and 1t is expected a secend revision
 will be made, more items increased and
 several new ones added.
 The matter which will be first con-
 sidered is the raising of the license on motor cars. Several of the men
 Interested say q tax of SIS per annum will be sufficient. but others say that
 anyone who can afford Car costing 1 from s1.000 to ss,000. pay approximate
 ly $4O0 a year to keep It in repair, and in many cases pay a driver 1000 and ! most of his expenses. can easily afford a tax of from $1O0 to $200. This mat . ter has not been definitely settled yet, but 1t ia understood that the city can , be materially benefited by an income
 of s1Oo year from a possible 200 | cars.
 Beside sthe motor cars. a street tax | Is likely to be inaugurated. also taxes
 on cows. paving, vehicles, dogs. horses
 and some say cats. to say nothing of
 the possibilities of "potlicker," bicy- cles and go-carts.
 An ordinance to pave Lawrence Street as far south as Jeff Davis Ave nue has been proposed. The major ity of the citizens of the district, it Is
 said, have expressed the desire for the
 improvement Several other streets l will also be proposed.
 Before Council opens objections to
 paving assessments-will be listened to
 by the Aldermen Not tn seven years has anyone appeared before Council with such protest. but since it is the l custom, the Aldermen will be present by o'clock to hear the possible com
 p1aints.
 RepOrt of Treasurer. l 4 volley of comment Is expected when the annual report of the Treas
 ury Department Is presented and some I heavy artillery Is being held in re-
 serve for the occasion. It has already | been said that the city is placed in an erroneous light by the report because | so many items have been carried over l from last year. and 1t is thought steps l will be taken at the meeting to pro vide against this in future. making i each year stand on It's own merits. 1 One of the Aldermen has terselJ summed up the whole situation in tht I following words: "We need the money
 and must have 1t. If it can't be taken from one source. it will be from an 1 other"
 That the end Is not yet in the ques' ton of the popcorn vender.s who op- crates at Dexter Avenue and South Court Street is evident. He was ad. vised a day or so ago that suit would
 be bought for his removal in the Chan 1 cery Court before long.
 This matter Is just now pet hobby with the Aldermen and several oi | them when. they were informed of the l proposed measure. smiled rather grim | ly. With but one or two exceptions l the City Council Is on the side of the popocrn man and this, In Montgomery | is7 to say the least. rather strong back 1 ing, especially when the said Alder | men have their lander up.
 The popcorn man Is the mecca foI l the children who pass that way and the genial fellow and his wares are ( l constant source of pleasure to the lit tie folk. MGthers who have to, go shop kping and who have to take their chil' dren with them when they go. count | on the popcorn man as a means oi | Keeping the little ones satisfied dur | ing the excursion. When the women take part in any civic measure there