The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-22
Short Talks Made

Short Talks Made
 While the committee on resolutions were discussing the different resolutions offered, many of the men present made short talks against the matter of tax raises. T. H. Motion said:
 Tt looks like the whole thing was framed up to go against the people of Jefferson county. All the governor has to say is go to Jefferson county when the treasury is empty It's all wrong. But if we have public sentiment We can appeal our cases to a Jefferson county jury, and a Jefferson county jury will give us verdicts The whole matter looks like a law that permits a favored few to punish their enemies and favor their friends" Mir. Notion spoke of the neces- sity of all pulling together in the move ment, and said no one should try to com promise as they have done in the past. Frank Nelson, Jr., said:
 When a state official will go into any community in the state and try to put through a raise like this 1t is time to fight. A tax raise of 100 per cent in one year is raclicalism, pure and simple. There has been nothing more serious before us in the past 10 years than the matter of doubling the taxes on the people. Don | go down on your knees and beg the state tax commissioner, but let us fight, and fight to a finish"
 George B. Tarrant, tax collector of Jet- ferson county said: ''The taxes of the county have never been capitalized during tav aOllpptor I think inc taxes have been raised enough. as Jefferson county is paying about one fourth of the taxes of the state as 1t IS,
 Captain Graves, Judge oscar c. Hund- lev and a number of others also spoke against the conditions. Robert Jemison, Sr., said
 ''The trouble is that the whole system is rotten and what we must do is to do something fundamentally
 Resolutions Made
 Upon the return of the committee on resolutions they recommended the follow ing to the meeting, which was passed unanimously:
 Whereas. the state board of tax corl- missioners is proposing an increase in tax assessments on a portion of the property Tn Jefferson county, of more than s4o,cp,- GOO, and,
 Whereas. there has evidently been al; arrangement or understanding between the state board of commissioners and the county tax commissioners by which all of the spoiis of office will not be taken from tie county tax commissioner and the county tax commissioner as to his pro- posed raise on property in Jefferson coun- ty not embraced in the state board list is yet to be heard from, and,
 Whereas, Jefferson county is now pay ing about one-fourth of the taxes of the entire state and every man of informa- ton knows that one-fourth of the values of the state are not in this county, and.
 Whereas, the greater part of the coun- ties in the state are receiving from state appropriations more money than the coun- ty pays as state taxes. thereby in effect relieving such counties entirely from al burdens of state government which num- Der of counties will be greatly increased If the proposed tax increase in Jefferson county is made, and,
 Burden on Jefferson
 Whereas, it seems to be the purpose to place the entire burden of supporting tn. state government on Jefferson county and,
 Whereas. there are now four sets of off cers. the state board (with it's attorneys and assistants), the county tax commis- sioner with his compensation based or fees). the tax assessor with his eompen, sation based on fees), and the board cl revenue, all paid by the tax payer to as sess taxes and all receiving more compen- sation the higher the increase of taxes except the board of revenue and state | board). and
 | Whereas, assessed value made on prop ertv two years ago which satisfied t.s state board and county tax commissions