The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-10
TAX ON INTANGIBLES
COMMISSION IS BUSY PREPARING
 VALUATIONS.
Valuations wiIi Be Very Nearly Those of Last Year--Compiainfs VIII
 Be Heard This
 Month.

The State Tax Commission is busily engaged in preparing the intangible valuations for the coming tax year and yesterday Chairman J. !. Mitchell announced that the corporations liable had been notified that from July 21 to July 25 protests would be heard The hearing of protests is allowed by the law. It Is predicted that objections will be interposed by many of the cor- porations to the assessments that have been determined upon.
 1t is rumored that the aggregate in- tangible valuations for the year be- ginning October next will equal if not exceed those for the year Is07-is0s. The variation from last years stand ards will not be great. 1t Is said. either way.
 July complaints win bo heard from representatives of the corporations docs not mean that the assessors will be then given their pro rata sheets In the various counties at that time. On the contrary Judge Mitchell said yes- terday that it would be some time af- ter the sessions in July before the pro- rating among the counties could be put in shape for transmission to the assas- sors. Efforts will be made, however. to supply. the local officers with the necessary data so that the abstracts can be made up as quickly as possible After July 2a il will probably be matter of clerical work.
 The intangible values last year were fixed at s21,2s1.292 from which the State collected the not sum of Siss,- 32s.40. 1t was the first record of the Idea of taxing the franchise or privi. lege assets of railroads and other cor- porations. The law Is an appreciabla adjunct to the revenue system of Ala bama.
 Those corporations or individuals that are liable for the intangible tax are those which are dependent upon the grant Of public powers or prlvi- leges. or which may involve tine oper- ation of any public utility. etc." Thla includes the railroads. the telephone and telegraph lines. the sleeping car, dining and chair ears. of any kind. or any plant or business flor the produc- ton, manufacture. distribution, or sale of gas. electricity. electric light. elec- tric power, water. steam heat and re- frigerated air or other similar aub- stances"
 There are also included in this clasa such individuals or corporations as arc operating for gain any ''doclkaKe, wharfage. canal, freight or passenger depots, stations or terminals.s
 This is the law which has added considerable duties to those of the Tax assessors ana collectors as we'll as Probate Judges. The county officers are responsible for the collection of these taxes just as. they are for the ad valorem taxes. The Tax Commission computes the pro rata share of each county in the total valuations. passing on the distance through which the railroad tracks. telephone or telegraph lines. etc, run in each county. From these divided valuations the assessor makes up his book and then the Pro- bate Judge adds them to the regular abstract for the use of the Collectors.
 The right of appeal from the State Tax Commission by any corporation on the ground of erroneous assessment Is given by Section 237s of the new code. The appeal may be taken to the Circuit Court of Montgomery County.