The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-23

1 OJneT COuuDeS TIC SldUs W AAiic It's
! law has been in force for a number OF
/ years and this commission has begun and
wiped out and begun over in Jefferson
county several times, presumably to get
a fresh start In order to reach the other
counties). This year the commission
made new beginning.
THE state commission this year made
It's selection of property in Jefferson
| county, and cited property holders to a
raise amounting In the aggregate to the
modest sum of forty million dollars.
probably the commission has con-
| sidered all property in the county that
1t was its duty TO consider. While 1t
| is true that the county commissioners
| has cited property owners mot cited
| by the state commission) to raises
amounting to about $25,000,0 900. It Is
but fair TO presume that the state COM
| mission, at least TO its satisfaction, has
discharged its duty in full in Jefferson
! county (for this new year of the be-
ginning of tax raises).
presumably the state commission in
the further discharge of it's duty, after
doing IT'S do in Jefferson county, has
passed on into some one or more of so
odd counties in the state (Which draw
back more from the state revenue than
they put into the state treasury. and Is
there a work raising values up to the
level of values in Jefferson county; pre-
sumably this state board. as fast as 1t
can do the work. will pass from county
to county, so that bye-and-bye tax val
ues in all of the counties in the state
will be raised to the level of values In
Jefferson county,
but 10 and behold, they are now called
back by the governor to Jefferson county
to rectlfy the wrong that q legally con-
stituted court has committed.
THE governor deems it of greater i'm
portance that the state commission should
be called back from the other counties
and put to work again in jefferson coun-
ty. The other counties can be reached
bye-and-bye but it is of supreme i'm
portance that Jefferson county should be
done to the finish, Notwithstanding the
fact that the state commission did not
consider 1t its duty to take up any of
these cases which 1t is now called back
to consider.
by whose ORDERS or under whose direc-
ton, and for what purposes these cases
that the state commission is now called
back to consider. was not in the first
instance considered by the commission, We
do not know, we can only guess.
THE action of the governor In calling
the state commission back to Jefferson
county. but emphasizes and make moro
clear what the tax payers OF Jefferson
county know and believe.
Unjust Discrimination
Jefferson county is unjustly discrimi-
rated against in taxation, and II Is the
beginning and the end practically, of the
operations of the state tax commission.
while 50 odd counties in the state are
in effect contributing nothing to state
government. and some of them getting
borus, 1t is not the intention of the
governor, or of the executive department,
to cause a substantial tax raise in the
other counties of tho state; Jefferson
county is the county that they intend
shall pay the bulk of the taxes of the
state, and the action of the governor, but
emphasizes this fact
I'VE would say to the taxpayers of
jefferson county:
q. DO not be intimidated into making
a settlement with the county tax COM
missioners. Try your case before the
board of revenue, the legally constituted
court.
20. II the threat of the governor is car
red out and the state tax commission
comes back, it will but emphasize the
discrimination against Jefferson county;
fight your case, and a jury of your
county will protect you against injustice
and wrong.
49, A number of the leading lawyers of
the bar of jefferson county have here
given it as their opinion that the 60 per
cent valuation law is constitutional, the
attorney general to the contrary notwlth-
standing.
In addition, Judge Nesmith of the city
court in a case before him, where the
consttutionallty of this law was involved,
has held the law constitutional.
"a Unjust discrimination In taxation is
odious. and If the tax payers of Jefferson
county have to go before the juries of
jefferson county for protection, they can
safely rely upon getting protection there.
u. ID. MOORE
FRANK NELSON. Jr.,
"E. L. BROWN,
ROBERT JEMISON, Sr.
"JNO. S. GILLESPY,
Chamber Commerce committee.
1T. II. MOTION,
wv. b. LEEDY,
FULLER MANLY,
Real Estate association committee"