The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-14
City May Charge 6 Per Cent
on Improvement Assess
ments Instead of s
Per Cent
ABBOTT TO CONFER
WITH COMMISSION
ON NATTER SOON
Exum Says He Will Not Vote for
Another Ordinance at Per Cent.
Weatherly Declares One Man
Cannot Control the City
Financial Matters

Six per cent interest instead of per
cent will probably be fixed by the city
commission within the near future the
rate of interest to be paid by property
holders on public improvement assess
ments. President C. Exum states that he
has thoroughly investigated the matter
and that the reduction Is not only eXpedi-
ent but just to the citizens of Birming-
ham.
conference between the commissioners
and Comptroller Abbott will be held with
in the next week or 10 days, and i'm
mediate action is expected to follow. II
the reduction is made it will take effect
beginning with ordinance 6o0-C, which
was adopted about the time that the city
made arrangements with local financial
Institutions some time ago to borrow all
funds needed for public improvements at
per cent interest.
Weatherly and Exum Clash
There was rather an interesting little
tilt between members of the city commits
sion yesterday when the matter was
brought up by President Exum Mr.
Exum stated that he had already issued
Instructions to the city comptroller in re-
gard to the matter, and that he had in
tended to do 1t much sooner as he had
repeatedly made public statements to this
effect. and the matter had merely been
overlooked. II think it is only just and
fair that since the city is borrowing
money at a much lower rate of interest
than formerly, that the property holders
for ,t,I,f ic hnr saJ 81
receive the benefit and be allowed to pay
6 instead of per cent on their assess
ments, as has always been the rule here
tofore. 1t is not just that the property
holders so affected should be made to
pay money toward the general expenses
of the whole city,
"That is matter of very great import
ance, however, said Mr.. Weatherly. 'and
think We should hold a conference on
it,"
1T no doubt is a matter for the commits
sion to consider as a whole" said Judge
Lane, "for every property holder in the
city is affected and it is of great import
ance."
Mr.. Weatherly made a motion that
President Exums orders to the comp
troller be rescinded, stating that no re-
Election was meant on Mr. Exum, but that
there were some phases of the matter ON
which he was not posted, and he thought
the entire commission should hold con-
ference on the question. Several very
snappy retorts passed between the three
commissioners before Judge Lane seond-
ed the motion, and it was passed unani-
mously.
Will Per Cent Pay Expenses?
zone of the things upon which I
want some information before such ac-
tion is taken,' said Mr. Weatherly, 'is
whether or not per cent will pay the
expenses of the maintenance of this
fund. The city has TO keep this fund
for the accommodation of the citizens
and it has to maintain a rather large
bookkeeping force in that connection.
The property holders are entitled to
any reduction that can be made, but
want to see for myself how much of
reduction can be made"
Il can answer that question for you
right now," answered President Exum
II bring nothing before this board but
what l have thoroughly Investigated
it and / have done SO in this case. Six
per cent will pay all the expenses in
Cured by the city in maintaining this
fund. We pay per cent for it and it
Is not more than l per cent additional
which it costs to maintain it, Six per
cent covers it and I'll tell you right
here that I'll never vote for another
Improvement ordinance until the citi-
zens are given the benefit of this re-
duction."
Very WELL" stated Mr.. Weatherly,
but you must understand, Mr.. Exuin,
that one commissioner cannot control
the financial matters of the city"
To Confer With Abbott
1t was desired to hold a conference
with Mr.. Abbott Immediately, but Judge
Lane desired at least a days delay and
as Mr. Abbott leaves the city this morn
ing to be gone a week or so the mat