The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-18
The Inequity of Tax
Assessments in Alabama
Second Article Striking Showing
Tax and
Be asL Tonga as People to

were, contains ONLY ONE -TENTH of the pop
ulat1on OF the whole state-that is to say it's
political strength, or voting power. is in IN
VERSE RATIO to its taxable wealth
The raising of tax assessments is always un-
popular &c. why disturb the other counties of
the state as long as Jefferson with only one vote
in every ten, can be depended upon to make good
all deficits in the state treasury and supply the
money for vote catching and fence -mending APP
preparation bills?'
We have put it BADLY and crudely on pur-
pose, because here a primitive, elemental 20
litcal temptation which has worked with in
tensive force ever since Jefferson county began
to develop its resources and will continue to
work until our inefficient and unequal state tax
laws amended.
No intelligent, fair minded reader will deny
the reasonableness of our assertion that taxa
ton in Alabama has degenerated into political
expediency along the line of the least resistance.
Now as to the question, sls this assertion sus
tanned by facts:''
1es-many facts, which we shall cite at the
proper time, in addition to the one we give here,
which Eliminates the situation with the intense
vivldness of a searchlight and which alone not
only establishes the truth of our assertion, but
Justlfies any contention we have made or shall
make hereafter 1t is
Jefferson county with ONLY one-tenth of the
wealth of the state is paying two tenths or one
fifth of the total taxes collected by the state.
If we were pleading in court of equity, we
would say: "Your honor, we rest our case here,
believing you will require no further proof that
tax assessments in Alabama are grossly unequal
and that Jefferson county is paying more than
her just proportion of taxes, under existing con
ditions. and that we are entitled to the relief we
ask, which is cessation of raises in Jefferson
county until tax assessments have been
equalized all over Alabama
Our purpose, however, is too broad to be con
fined within the four walls Of court ROOM no
matter how exalted the tribunal may be. 1t is,
first to awaken the people Of our own county to
the injustice which they are suffering from the
operation of pernicious andsebsolete scheme
of taxation--it cannot bedignified as a system
Second to show the other counties of the state
that this injustice to Jefferson is reacting upon
them. And, third, to suggest remedial legisa-
ton which will place taxation in Alabama upon
the plane OF. equality where it rightly belongs
legislation that will give our state modern eff
fective satisfactory system of taxation, which
should result in lower state tax rate than the
one now in force.
We are confident we shall succeed, because we
have an abiding faith in the willingness of the
people to see the right and to act upon it.
Watch for our next article; and in the mean
time remember the issue is: Shall the people of
Jefferson county, with only one tenth of the
property values of the state, and now paying
two-tenths of the total taxes of the state allow
the state tax authority to continue to raise their
assessments, which are already too high!