The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-08
COMPLAIN OF TAXES
CHARGE BUSINESS SECTION IS UNI
 DERYALUED.
Residential Sections AIIeGe that Cen- ter O6 City Is Not Bearing Its
 Quota Of Tax
 Burdens,

Dissatisfaction is expressed in. many quarters regarding the assessments fixed against homestead holders when compared to, the, valuations "aIlowed" In the business districts. It is tax paying time now and the subject Is the topic of discussion among those who have to SCOUT their pockets to meet the assessments.
 The general kick Is not so much against the fixed rates made by law, but the way many pieces of property are returned. It is complaiped by some that many pieces of property in the business section of the city are not taxed for their value as required by law, and 1t is also complained that the little homes of suburbanites and householdeTs in the city have to pay up to the last mill The kick is not coming about the taxes charged the home owners. but from them because the city is deprived of g just revenue. for municipal improvement, by the owners of business houses being al- lowed to get off with much less than they should really pqy.-
 Something bordering on partiality to certain persons, or taYoritism. Is another cause of complaint, and one of several instances is cited. A person owning a piece of lana containing twenty acres, which he has owned for many years, returned the property years ago as being worth sl,z00. As time went on, he built houses on the twenty acres. until today there are some sixty buildings on the property, but for all that 1t isstill returned as a twsnty-acre lot. valued at $l,20O, and he pays taxes .still pn' that amount, althought 1t Is shown by those in au- thority that the piece of property has doubled and quadrupled in value.
 President Gastop Gnptef of the City Council, said recently, in speaking of the matter. that the city was helpless because the taxes were assessed by State officials and thesctty had to go by that record And although the city tax collector knows the property Is be- ing returned at less than its value, in some instances he cannot go over the head of the State Rpd, county officials, for the tax payer can simply refer to the tax books and there ends the mat ter >-.- .siss ae-' |' '~.s
 That there win ba a change in the situation seems evident from the gen. orally aroused interest in the subject.
 In speaking of the creation of thu office of City Tax Inspector" an ordi7 nance for which was introduced lately In the City Council and passed. the Mayor expressed himself as not being In raSor or ll.
 Tt looks to me like creating an of flee for a man." he said, and I don't believe in that sort of thing. The taxes, such as they are. are assessed by the State official, and the city has a tax collector for the purpose of col iecting the money There is no need for the creation of an office that will simply relieve the collector of part of his work.
 nrIfnanaa which the CiLV COuH eli passed provided for the creation of the efice ef "City Tax Inspector" whose duty 1t would be to look over the books, find delinquents. and go out after the money, at commission Of 25 per centum.
 That the Mayor will veto the oTdi- nance seems likely and if he does, 1t is hardly probable that the Council will go over the veto.
 Interest in the tax situation Is more intense than many people think and that there win be radical changes in the situation is self'svident