The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-23
BOARD OF REVENUE
DEEPLY RESENTS
!. O'NEA[' CRITICISM
Say He Passed Judgment
When Knowing Only One
Side of Controversy
I. H. MOTION BRANDS
LETTER A BLUFF
Members of Board State They Will
Continue to Hear Cases in Same
Way-List of Settlements
Made Yesterday

Much feeling and resentment was dis
layed yesterday morning at the hearing
of the tax raises before the Jefferson
county board of revenue, on account OF
the letter of Governor O'Neal to Lee
Long, chairman of the state tax commits
sion. directing the state commission
ito set aside certain judgments of the
board of revenue and to fix such valua-
tons as the evidence may justify"
The members OF the board individually
and collectively resented the criticism of
the governor and contended that he had
Heard only one side of the controversy
and had passed judgment without fuzzy
understanding the situation. They con-
Tend that they have been fair both to
the propertyholders and to the state and
that they intend to continue the work
as they have begun, endeavoring to do
everybody justice and to equalize taxa
ton as far as possible.
The members of the Real Estate Deal
ers exchange, woh have been repre-
sentatives at every session of the board,
also resented the statement and criticism
of the governor, which their spokesman,
T. H. Motion, designated as a bluff"
and a "hold-up," and urged the board
not to be "bull dozed by the chief ex
ecutive.
Only Few Cases
Capt ]. " Allen stated it was not the
intention of the governor to have the
state tax commission set aside all the
cases considered by the board, but only
those in which 1t was thought the prop
erty was undervaluated. He stated that
thus far he had only submitted two cases,
but that there might be others.
When Job Going, president of tho board
of revenue. called the session to order
yesterday morning it was evident that
something was in the air. The court
room was crowded many property own
ers and real estate dealers being present.
7. II. Motion, chairman of the committee
of realty agents, who are fighting the
proposed raises. was on his feet the mo-
ment Mr. Going declared the session
open.
He handled the question without gloves
and vigorously denounced the attempt as
he declared it was an attempt to intimi-
date the members of the board He de-
clared their rulings to be just and equit-
able, not based on speculative values but
on the producing values and income of
the property.
Mr. Motion declared the raises as sub
mitted by Capt Allen to be excessive aud
in many instances without a regard to
adjoining property valuations
Every member of the board expressed
himself in regard to the criticism of the
Oh fI,af 1, 4,zt0 Io1
to go ahead and do his duty as he saw
it.
Who Gave Information?
Dr. Loveady asked who furnished the
governor the information upon which his
letter to the state commission was based.
IT did, replied Capt. Allen, Il fur
nished evidence in two cases, but there
are Others"
"Tben the governor proposes to take
your verdict and not ours as to the value
of the property"
only where there is palpabe UNDER
valuation said Capt. Allen.
IF the governor wants to impeach
me I don't care" replied DIR. Lovelady.
II propose to continue the work to the
best of my ability, dealing justly with
all interested property holders as well
as the state. / think proper, being
honest to all"
A NUMBER OF questions were ASK ed IL
reference to the action of the state
commission in the cases settled by the
property holders and Captain Allen and
other settlements to which the tax COM
mission replied that only the cases
specified would be considered.
The matter was then dropped and the
hearing of the raises commenced.
The settlements yesterday we're as fol-
lows:
REVISES
j. r. Henderson, 500.
Mrs. Stella r. Hodges. $500
Mrs. Lula G. Hensley, $3.50.
DIR. ]. F. Jenkins. 5000.
Mrs. M. A. Hughes $3.50.
J. Il. Hurst, $500.
Mrs. Lizzie Jobson, s1.150.
]. d. Head, $1,000
]. Fl. Heineke, SEQ.
j. H. Helms 800.
Mrs NJ. Helms. $1,000
r. C. Hemphil, $3.50.
Henderson Land and Development Co.,
$500.
Ben Holzer. 5000.
William Hood. $1,000
William Hood & W. S. Brown, 1900.
Miss NJ. e. Hopper $500
Mary l.. Horton. $500.
c. X. Hostettler, $500.
Crawford Johnson, $3.50.
L. w. Johns. $3.50.
w. s. e. T. S. Herren. 5000
a0r.ia II