The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-21
Will Consider Methods of
Relieving Financial Dis
tress of the City
ACTION, IF ANY,
MUST BE RAPID
Unanimous Report Is Not Expected
On Account of Divergence of
Opini0n-Three Plans Are To
Be Considered
BY HUGH w. popEnTs

The committee of 100 men appointed
some days ago by George b. Ward,
president of the getty commission and
Paschal G. Shook. president of the
Chamber of Commerce, to devise n
scheme for the financial relief of Bir-
mingham, will hold its initial session
tomorrow afternoon.
Inasmueh as whatever plan is ulti-
mately agreed upon by the committee
Will have to be submitted to the city
commission and the legislative delega-
ton of this county for approval. the.
committees work will of necessity be.
1t is pointed out, rapid. In the event
of an extra session, the Legislature will
be convened probably on January !
AT the longest, the committee will have
to complete its work early in January.
The regular session will begin January
IL.
The committee is made up of men
representative of all factions aud no.
litical creeds. There will probably be
serious oppositions to whatever scheme
is suggested. 1t is believed that q
unanimous report is practically inlpos-
sible.
Three Plans Considered
There are in main three plans which
will be considered. The one will pro-
vide for an Increased rate of taxa
ton The increase contemplated is one
half of one mill. Should this increase
ha or nj rifx ,ts,.;
that the city would be enabled to col
lect sufficient sum of money success
fully to finance itself. The objection to
this plan is general In the first place.
1T is understood that such a plan would
not be Endorsed by the legislative del
egation. In the second place, the peo-
pie. as rule, oppose the idea of hav-
ing their burden of taxation increased.
third objection is found in the fact
that In whatever increased sum OF
money Is realized from an increased
rate, the county and state would share.
The second plan provides for the
creation of board, the duty of which
would be to equalize the taxation in
Birmingham. 1t would be the duty
or such board to catch tax dodger
in Birmingham. That plan will meet
strong opposition. In the first place,
should the members of the equalization
board be remunerated by a percentage
or the amount of money collected in ex-
cess of money collected the previous
year. they might be prone to carry the
idea of "equalization'' too far. In the
second place, should the members of the
board be remunerated by salaries, they
might become Indifferent or negligent
thus rendering the work of their crea-
ton ineffective.
The Third Scheme
The third plan to be considered will
be that embodying the creation of Bir-
mingham county, Under this plan, the
city government and county govern
ment would be combined. The ,eoplo
VIII pay the city and county taxes
which they now pay, and one govern
ment, rather than two, will receive the
money. Under this plan, the remainder
of Jefferson county would be divided
into two counties. and it is pointed out
that 1t would be the beginning in Ala
bama of the inception of the Georgia
idea that internal development comes
with many small rather than few large
counties. This plan has the advantage
of being favored by a majority Of the
members of the commission, a majority
1t is believed, of the legislative dele
cation, and the fact that on account
of q general desire throughout the state
to split up Jefferson county, it would
probably be successful before the peo-
pie.
The objection to this plan is found
in the fact that it would necessitate the
paying of taxes by industrial corpora
lions in more than one county, AMI
In the fact that there IL more OF less
of a sentimental antagonism to the
division of what is generally called
Imperial Jefferson"