The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-25
AN EXTRA SESSION !. MAY YET BE NEEDED Gov. O'Neal and Lane i'll Conference Yesterday ON THE REVENUE BILL  Lane Will Today Write Letters to Municipalities of State Calling
 Attention to Serious
 Situation
ON THE REVENUE BILL

Governor O'Neal yesterday morning was interviewed by Judge A. o. Lane, city commissioner After the confer ence, Judge Lane declined to state what had occurred between him and the gov ernor. It is known. however, that the commissioner conferred with the chief executive relative to the expediency of calling an extra session for the recti- dcation of the revenue bill, and that the chief executive is inclined to believe that an extra session will be neees- sary at some future date.
 After the conference Judge Lane said: 'In reference to section S6F of the rev lenue bill, under the terms of which public utility corporations may be able GO escape the payment of license taxes, which section was slipped into the bill during the excitment of the closing days of the last session of the legisla- ture--I desire to state that the city is preparing to fight this gigantic hold | up to the last ditch.
 To-day I will begin writing letters to the heads of the municipal govern ments of every city in Alabama, for by the provision of section 36F of the revenue bill every city will no doubt lose a large portion of the revenue to which it is justly entitled. I will make an effort to present the facts in the case, as a result of public sentiment aroused, so strongly to the governor that he will believe it wise to call an extra session of the legislature toward Ilt. f..fr or or the beginning of next fall
 However the city will first of all attack the constitutionality of section S6F of the revenue bill. As is known the constitution provides that the cap ton of every bill, except the revenue bill, must state plainly what the bill in question contains. We do not be- lieve that this exception in favor of revenue bills would permit the ineor- poration in a revenue bill of matter not germane to the collection of revenue for the operation of the business of the state section which limits the DOW CTS of a municipality to collect revenue for it's own use is not, according to our Idea, germane to the collection of rev enue for the operation of a state. For that reason, we hold section 36F of the revenue bill unconstitutional. We will bring this point mp at once, and ex. pect to have it. before the supreme court toward the conclusion of April at which time cases from this distric will receive special attention. If WI win the case the city will not be il need of an extra session. If we lose however, as a result of public sentl- ment against section 36F, I believe il Twill be possible toobtain an extra ses- sion of the legislature towayd the con Il cIusion of the summer or the first oi the fall"
 Section 36F of the revenue bill. AZ has been stated, provides that the city may collect from public utility corpora tions an intangible tax of per cent on gross receipts provided such amounts collected are applied to whatever license tax is demanded by the city. Judge Lane contends that as d result of this section the city in four years will be deprived of $250,O00, to wnIen, se con tends. the city is justly entitled.
 Should 1t be necessary to call an extra session of the legislature for the rectification of section 36F of the rev enue bill, or for the correction of any other sections of that bill, ]. Lee Long, president of the tax commission of the state, and formerly a member of the Legislature, declares that the action of the legislature on the revenue bill would be confined exclusively 10 it's abolition "It would be impossible for the legislature to make corrections or amendments or abridgements 10 the bill" stated he, because the constitu- ton provides that the revenue bill must be passed within the first 45 days of the regular session of the legislature"