The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-21
INCOME OF TAX
 COMMISSIONER Jefferson Official Received
 $50,144.75 IN PAST FOUR YEARS Pegram Has Changed His Bill With View to Reducing the h.
 come of the Back Tax
 Commissioner
By BERRYMAN G. BETTY

hOHlSOliClyB ndICH ZV.-tSD6Clal)- Figures compiled in the office of the state tax commission show that the com pensation of the county tax commis- sioner of Jefferson county for the last four years on escaped assessment, de- linquent licenses and on raises amounted to s50,144.75 In addition to this amount, about 5000 were collected annually In fees on escaped and raised assessments. The report as compiled by the state tax commission shows that the total com pensation received by the county tax com missioner of Jefferson county for the years 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1910 on escaped assessments and delinquent licenses was s25, ,44966, just a little in excess of the compensation received during that time from commissions on raises.
 The bill by George Pegram of Marengo, which was introduced in the house last week, seeks to secure uniformity and equality in the assessments of property in the various counties of the state, pro- viding that the county commissioners shall receive compensation only on es- capped assessments and delinquent H. censes. Under the provisions of the bill, the back tax commissioner is not allowed to receive commissions on raises. This bill is designed to take precedence over the bill which MT. Pegram intro duced early in the session to abolish the office of the county tax commissioner. When the first measure was introduced, the officers of the state tax commission protested against the bill, maintaining that the abolition of the back tax com Il. the work of the state office.
 The first bill was reported favorably by the house committee on Judiciary to which it had been referred, and it was placed on the house calendar. This measure, however, was not called up, as it was known that there was considerable objection to the passage of the bill and as it was generally believed that tho passage of the bill would work a con- siderable hardship on the state tax com mission, which was more or less depend- ant upon the back tax commissioner. A second bill was then introduced by Mr. Pegram, and this measure is now on the house calendar. This bill does not abolish the back tax commissioner. but seeks to rectfy many of the evils which are believed to exist In connec- ton with the office of the county tax commissioner.
 Among the strongest advocates of MT. Pegram's first bill was the Jefferson county delegation in the legislature. These representatives, lead by Walker Percy claimed that the compensation of the tax commissioner of that county was out of proportion to the duties per- formed, his salary being. something over $10000 per annum. As is shown by the report of the state tax commission, how ever, about one-half of this amount was received from commissions on raises. Un- der the Pegram bill which is now before the house, the county commissioner will not be allowed to receive any revenue from this source, his compensation being derived chiefly from escaped assessments and delinquent licenses. In addition to this amount, the commissioner of Jeffer- son county will receive about 5000 per annum from fees on escaped licenses.
 The report as compiled by the state tax commission for Jefferson county for the past four years shows that the coun- ty tax commissioner received more than s25, GOO from escaped assessments and de- linquent licenses, making an annual in- come of more than s6000. The Pegram bill is designed to keep the county tax commissioners compensation of that county within those figures as well as to bring about a greater uniformity and equality in the assessments of property
 
 The report as compiled by the state tax commission showing the compensation of the county tax commission for Jefferson county for the last four years, is as fol- lows
 Statement showing the compensation of the county tax commissioner of Jef- ferson county, Alabama, for the four tax years 1907, 1908. 1909 and 1910, on escaped assessment, delinquent licenses and on raises, separately:
 1907.
 Assessment escaped property,
 real and personal, $2,0S9,-
 753; state and county tax on
 same, S27,166.7S; 10 per cent
 commission to tax commits
 sioner 2,716.6S Delinquent licenses collected
 S39,11S; 10 per cent commis-
 sion to tax commissioner. 3.911.SO
 Total on escapes and delin-
 quent licenses ..........$ 6,62S.4S Commission on raises. ...... 1O.692.4l
 Total .$17,32O. 80
 1908.
 Assessment escaped property,