The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-05

the city was placed en- script basis
at that time II was not only harmful
at the time but the effects were felt for
years afterward. To be placed ON script
will be the WORST thing that can happen
io Birmingham; 1t will be a calamity,
and unless we get some method by which
we can get more revenue, / don't see
how the script can be avoided by not
later than next spring. | can assure the
governor that the great majority of the
people of this city will appreciate his ef-
forts to help us. These are my views,
as a business man who sees conditions
every day"
kettig Urges Action
II heartily indorse what Mr.. Harding
and Mr.. Crawford both have said" said
w. II. kettig. But I believe there Is
no middle ground; we will either go back
wards or forwards and if we can't pay
our bills as city we will have to go
backwards. If the credit of the city of
Birmingham is lost, the whole state would
feel the injury.
THE taxation rate of S1.50 which we
want is not excessive. 1t is in force in
other cities [ want to say that l believe
that in the last year or two this city has
been run more economically than ever
before Whatever COMMISSION govern
ment has done, the commissioners have
run the affairs of the city economically
and honestly-I refer not personal hon.
esty, but honesty in expenditures of
money so to get the greatest good. But
the city is growing and every department
of the government must grow with it.
We all know of the retrenchments of the
last few months and the last few days.
We can't afford to go on in that cheese
pairing, stingy way, and we hope, gov
ernor. that you will comply with our re-
quests and give us relief
r. c. Mcdonald spoke briefly, Hating
that he believed that if the assessment
was placed back at 100 per cent on the
dollar and the county boards of revenue
would inforce the law. Birmingham and
all other cities would have plenty of
money. 1t was stated that Senator Nor
row was unable to be present as he was
out of the city.
Percy Defends go Per Cent Clause
Walker Percy took the floor in defense
of the 60 per cent bill, of which he was
the framer. He stated that some in
acuracies had been stated in previous
speeches and he wished to correct them.
whenever the present state legislature
starts to repeal the 60 per cent law" he
said, there is going TO be a sure enough
fight. 1t would be all right to say that
revenues had been decreased by the 60
per cent law If the assessments before
had really been at 100 per cent, but they
weren't and everybody here knows they
We're not
when the law was the 100 per cent
assessment, the state tax commission
could and did go to anybody they chose
and demand that he increase his assess
ments. If he protested that his neigh
bors We're paying no more or not as much
as he, they told him to do as they said
or they would institute proceedings
against him, and they did unless he paid
up. The taxpayer in question had no
right to demand a showing of what his
neighbor paid and under that system,
the tax commission came to the rich
counties of the state, the urban counties
where it was easiest to collect the taxes
and that's where they carried on these
operations. When we adopted the 60 per
cent law, we did it for the purpose of
uniformity in these assessments in every
county in the state because we believed
that If the law was made 90 per cent, then
every taxpayer could and would comply
with it with the result that the burden
would be equally and justly borne.
THE state tax commission record OF
this state Is one unparalleled for in
competency. And the governor knows 1t.
admit the salaries of the tax commits
soners are not large enough. But the fact
that the tax commissioners work in but
few counties in the state and that they
work but a few weeks in the entire year
Is a disgrace And if the assessment is
placed back at 100 per cent 1t means tax
assessment increases where increases are
easiest. Under the 60 per cent law any
taxpayer can demand that the assessment
of his neighbors is shown to him, too.
when the Legislature was in ses-
sion / introduced a bill to increase the
efficiency of the state tax commission.
The governor thought | was aiming at
an individual. l was aiming at a ne
farious taxing system, although III
confess that it might have abolished
the position /of certain Individual
which would have caused me no worry.
If the legislature is called into extra
ordinary session | will introduce bill
to increase the salaries of the state tax
commissioners. make 1t not less that
$4,000 a year and compel them to work
12 months In the year.
Only Way Out of Difficulty
the increased tax rate for this city
is the only way out of our financial
crises now, and the only way to do
it speedily. If there is no extra ses-
sion called the governor himself is
going to be obliged to make arrange
ments in some way to provide interest
on the state debt in the next few
months. When that matter comes be-
fore the next regular session them
what lis going to prevent them from
his authority to have done
this and rightly so? If there is an
extra session now l believe it would
authorize the governor to pay this in
terest on the state debt. do not be-
lieve there would be any attempt to
interfere with the liquor laws. But the
taxing system of the state is nothing
short of disgrace to the common
wealth and II the legislature meets ]
believe there would be a disposition
to reform it. and abolish every un-
necessary office in the state, of which
there are many. We all know that we
are overriden with judges. The state
immigration commissioner would come
under the same head and there are
many others.
IL never have been a supporter OF
the governor. but IL an extraordinary
session is called and | go back to