The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-03

BY vote of three to two the members
of the board of revenue decided to raise
the county tax rate from 65 cents to 70
cents on the $10O, levy of half of one
mill the present levy which will
amount to so cents additional taxes on
the thousand. The motion was made by
Hugh McGeever and seconded by Major
Cameron and after a brief discussion the
motion to increase carried by the above
vote.
Thinks 1t Better Than Borrowing
The majority of the board contended
that it was better to levy cent in
crease than to borrow or issue bonds to
meet the growing demand of the county
and to finance the new addition to the
courthouse, to enlarge or build a new
Jail and to meet the other additional ex-
peEses of the county in the way of i'm
perative Improvements
DR.. Loveady and Mr.. Bvins voted
against the increase on the grounds that
1t was not necessary at this time. When
| asked for a statement DR.. Lovelady said
he had nothing to say except that he
voted according to his best judgment as
to the needs of the county. Mr.. Bivins
made the same statement.
| Hugh McGeever stated that he had
given the matter considerable study and
said: THAT some steps were necessary
| to meet with the urgent demands for
courthouse facilities and the erection of
| a new jail and other improvements on
| the various properties of the county and
to finance the same without plunging the
county into heavy debt and the continual
drain of paying interest is apparent.
| For instance, take a bond issue of
| S1.O00,000 to build courthouse and Jail,
calculate the interest AZ per cent for 80
years. Interest one year you'd be $4,000;
| interest so years would be 81. 1885, 900.
Just think of this fabulous amount
paid out in interest and the principal
still remains not one dollar paid on it.
| II don't think this bond or borrowing
| business is good finance-and instead
would suggest an additional levy of one
| half of mill addition to our present levy
which would only be so cents on the $1,000
additional taxes. and it would add to our
receipts per annum $4,000. Three years
amounting to s1so,Ooo.
Benefits of Raise
| with which we can build an addition
to the courthouse which we have under
| contract now and to the Jail which must
| be built in the near future to meet the
| requirements of its over crowded condi-
tion and comply with the demand of our
| state jail inspection. Cost of addition to
| courthouse $4,000 Estimated cost of ad-
dition to Jail $1,000; total $135, 600: leaving
us a balance of $4,000.
with this plan we can have additions
| to courthouse and Jail made sufficiently
large to meet all demands for 20 years,
sides balance left over to put on the
public roads which are needed and petit
toned for all over the county
| I'm addition to the cost of above work,
| the following are a few items that con-
/ front us this year over and above the
| routine expenses of 1912: Repairing root
and putting in two large dormor windows
| on fourth floor, which will give us two
| additional large rooms, estimated cost
| $500. First of four annual payments on
| courthouse, $4,000. Annual interest on
| money for new wing, $500. Architects
commission, $4,000. Furniture and furnish
| ing new wing of Hillman hospital, $1,000
| Plumbing under contract in Hillman hos
| pital, $1,000. Insurance on all county prop
| erty for five years, $1,000. Painting and
| extra work around courthouse and aims
| house, $1,000; a total of $46,S00.
Must Have Money
| TN order to meet those unavoidable i'm
provements the board must have money.
| 1t is true our receipts are increasing as
| our taxable values are increasing, but
on the other hand our current expenses
| are increasing as the county grows, SO
| do the expenses necessary to maintain
the several departments. For instance
our almshouse expenses to care for the
INDECENT poor, the sick and MANNED.
makes increased hospital expenses. Ex-
penses to keep tuberculosis and other
diseases from spreading, caring for the
| orphan children thrown on the world
| juvenile courts and industrial farm, homes
| for the aged and the wayward women
| Expenses for all these are increasing as
fast as the valuation of property, AND
must be met and cared for
| What makes the small levy the most
| practical is it applies to a special fund
| and can only be used for the purposes
| set out by statute governing that fund
and benefits Jefferson county only, where
as, on the other hand, raises made by
the back tax commissioner goes to every
fund Of the state and county, therefore
lit, H.. I. .-I~