The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-31
INTERESTING DATA AT FIRST HEARING ON
 FINANCES 0F CITY
Majority of Those Express ing Themselves for Equal
 izatiOn of Taxes
JEFFERSON BEARS
 BURDENS OF STATE
Smyer Presents Figures Showing How Assessed Valuation of This County Has Increased in Eight Years.
 Others Express Themselves

| OthCtS IHApiCco tnCMsCNts The first open session of the subcom- mittee appointed to devise plan for the permanent financial relief of the city of lsirningham was attended yesterday afternoon by a large number of interested taxpayers, and inasmuch as many of those present expressed their views, 1t is considered probable that the subcommit- tee derived certain benefit-at least, has made more sure of the attitude of the people generally.
 Among those who expressed themselves there were representatives of the three | ideas which are under consideration-the division of the county, the equalization of the burden of taxation. and the in- creasing of the rate of taxation. The majority of those who expressed their views favored the plan or equalization, the contention being that if every man turned in his property for assessment at 60 per cent of it's face value, there would he money in Birmingham sufficient to operate the city government without ne- cessitating period of embarrassment. Joseph Waldrop, who was formerly con nected with the tax assessors office, | gave voice to this sentiment when he said: Appoint an equalization board Of 1 members who are not political or con tomplative office seekers Equalize taxa l tion and increase thereby your taxable valuation by $40,000 900. That plan would not hurt any man who now pays on even | 40 per cent of the real value of his prop 1 erty."
 Burden of Jefferson County At the suggestion of several members, E. J. Smyer presented figures tending | to show how the assessed valuation or Jefferson county property had increased | since 1906:
 His figures in round numbers follow: | 1906-$39, ,000,000 1 19O7-- 49 000,000
 | 1910- 70,000000
 | 1913- S5 100000
 | 19l4- 95O00.O00
 MT. Smyer showed that in 1906, the as- sessed valuation for the whole state was 1 S.23, ,0O0 GOO, and that in 1914. for the entire 1 state the assessed valuation was $319, ,000,- 00o. He showed, too, that in 1914, from | all sources, Jefferson county paid into the state treasury $l,047,000 while the en- tire state paid in $4,5y2,000.
 The figures showed that Jefferson oounty's burden was nearly one-fourth that of the entire state, and that while this burden had increased 200 per cent in eight years, the burden of the state, as a whole, had increased less than 15 I per cent.
 Ferguson Makes Statement l Hill Ferguson, in speaking to the conn mjttee, declared that he favored increas- ing the rate of taxation, admitting at the same time that he had heard of no other member so expressing himself
 If the amount necessary for the city of Birmingham is to be raised through so-called equalization" he said, 'it would | be necessary to increase the valuation of | Birmingham real estate 100 DOT cent or s60O0O,000. This canpot be done before the elapse of five years"
 Jerome Edmundson, in addressing the committed. suggested that all burdens would be obvated were the city to own its waterworks and electric lighting com- panies.
 B. w. King spoke for equalization and pointed out instances in winch alleged discrimination has been shown and al- legged fraud had been practiced. R. S. Munger when called upon, de- clared that everyone was agreed that the burden of taxation should be equal ized, and declared that he would be willing to abide by the decision of the committee should that decision be i'll favor of increasing the rate of taxation Street Tax Ghost
 
 considerably over the earnestness with which R. M. Jenkins made d plea for the re-establishment of street tax. He argued that the street tax was the only tax l which could be collected from many in- dividuals who send their children to school and in other fashion, enjoy the privileges of living in a great city. He protested against what he considered the current practice of forcing the men who had made fortune to bear the entire burden.
 | This prompted Sydney J. Bowie to re- ply that he, for one, sympathized more with the man who had nothing than the nan who had a fortune. He declared that he would not shed tears for the rich individuals. He then jocularly asked MT. Jenkins if he had not passed his fo rty-fifth year-the year after which an individual is not subject to the payment of the street tax He admitted that he had, but expressed the willingness to do- nate his 8.
 There will be another open meeting of the committee this afternoon beginning at 2:30 instead of o'clock in the audi torium of the Chamber of Commerce.