The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-26
.LARUE IN FAVOR
 OF EQUALIZATION Alderman Says Reassess- ment Is Only Just NO WHOLESALE RAISE Bessemer City Father Says the Issue Has Not Been Clearly Stated.
 Other News of
 Interest

Bessemer, March 25.-(Special.)- )--The matter of tax equalization in this city continues to be the topic of much dis cussion on the streets, and sentiment seems to be divided.
 Alderman J. A. La Rue, when inter- viewed today, spoke strongly in favor of the move to adjust and equalize the assessed values of the city, and also stated that the appropriation of s200 was very necessary to carry out the work.
 This is work he said, "that will require several weeks time which no member of the present city administra- tion can give it. It is a work, too, which must be done by one familiar with realty values in all parts of the city, and 1t is very doubtful if any member of the city government would fill that requirement.. The value of buildings and improvements will have 10 be determined by a competent archi- tect or builder, and no member of the city government would fulfill this re- quirement, except two members of the board Of aldermen who are builders and contractors. They are both pre- vented from doing this work, however, by the length of time required, and the fact that they could not lawfully be compensated for 1t. The only money that any member of the board can law fully receive from the city treasury Is that paid him for is services as alder man.
 T Tear that the opponents of this measure have not stated the issue clearly. This is not an attempt to ef- Feet wholesale raise in property as- sessments, as many citizens have been led to believe. On the contrary, I my sell feel as does the majority of the council that most of the property own CTS here are assessing their property fairly. Some are probably assessed too high, due to the haphazard manner in which the back tax commission has at times got information to base its val nations on. There are, however. some large property owners who have as- sessed their property at such ridiculous figures that l did not believe it until had examined the tax books. When business lots in the heart of the city are valued at only $50 and improved business property on Nineteenth street at only 5000, while many cottages In outlying residence sections are forced to be assessed at s150O and upward it seems plain to me that some effort should be made by the city administra- ton to equalize things and get them on a more equitable basis. I believe that the burden of taxation should be borne equally by all citizens. according to the measure of the property they hold"
 MT La Rue stated that the committee is merely waiting for the completion of the plat book to begin it's work
 Local Items
 The shop at the Bessemer rolling mill xuitl, cl,{ , crete bar twisting. is now completed and ready for work. This new fea- ture will mean the increased output Of finished bars for the reinforcement of concrete in the large office build- ings and other steel structures J. D. OGara. whose soft drink stand was closed several weeks ago by a temporary injunction, secured 8 per- init from the city court to raise the in fun ctiAQ until tha hearing afK fha