The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-10
City Attorney Gives Views to City Commission and
 Legislative Delegation
LATTER PROMISE TO
 STUDY THE MEASURE
Will Act for Best Interests of Bir- mingham-Boyd Shows Wherein Bill Would Operate to Dis
 advantages of the City

Romaine Boyd, city attorney. report ed to the commission yesterday that
 the revenue bill to be proposed for adoption by the legislative recess com mittee on financeNand taxation, would tend further to cripple the city of Bir-
 mingham in respect to finances The report was read not only to the commission but to a majority of the members of the Jefferson county legis- lative delegation. The latter promised to study the bill and act in a manner which, in their opinion. would he to the best interest of the city of Birmng ham.
 In the discussion between the 1egis- lators and the commissioners it de- veloped that all of the former save two-neither of whom was present. = would support that bill which, if en- acted into law, would give Birming ham an opportunity to increase its rate
 of taxation. It is understood that Rep resentatives Weakley and Copeland will oppose the passage of that bill The session yesterday afternoon was executive.
 BOyd's Report Feature The feature of the meeting was the report of City Attorney Boyd regard ing the effect the proposed revenue bill would have on the city of Bir- mingham. In his report he declared that the section of the bill which would limit the amount of license collected from utility corporations to 1 per cent of the gross receipts of the corpora tions, would reduce the amount now paid by the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company from s55,
 0GO to s25,000; and the amount now
 paid by the Birmingham Waterworks company to figure scarcely greater
 than 5000.
 He endeavored to show that inequal-
 ities exist in the bill which operate tc the disadvantage of the suburbs oi Birmingham The latter. he declared would be required to pay licenses In a sum materially larger than cities the size of Eufaula. Huntsville or Sel- ma on soda water founts, moving pic
 ture shows and the like.
 He pointed out the probable effect of the bill's purpose to increase foi the benefit of the state the license
  Commissioner Ward, in discussing this point, expressed an opinion to the ef. | feet that if the licenses are increa sed the bill should cause a division of re- l'ceipts between the state and city o' | 60 and 40 per cent in favor of the lat ter The bill at present would inver' that ratio.
 MT Boyds statement follows
 Boyd's Statement
 For some years it has been the policy of the legislature to levy state licenses on some businesses in proportion to the population of the city or town, for in-
 stance. the following classes of busi- resses are charged a great leal emore in Birmingham than in cities like De- catur Opelika and Eufaula, to-wit' Dealers in typewriters, phonographs cigarettes, fireworks, etc, auctioneers
 restaurants. plumbers and also moving picture shows. By reason of this unjust system, the following inequalities ob-
 tain in Decatur. Opelka or Eufaula
 on one hand, and East Lake, Vivian ol
 Five Points on the other hand; the state license for a fruit stand in the first named places would be $2.50 as against S5 in the latter named suburbs of Bir- mingham. Likewise, a moving picture show which only pays state license of $50 in Decatur, Opelika or Eufaula would have to pay state license ol $50 in Woodlawn, Ensley, Five Points
 or any other location in Birmingham. "The proposed revenue bill not only continues these Inequalities but ex- tends this oppressive system in some instances. For instance, under the pro visions of the proposed revenue bill, 6 soda fount costing more than 5000 ir Decatur. Opelika or Eufaula. would l pay a state license of $10, whereas such soda fount in North Birmingham West End, East Lake, Five Points oi any other location in Greater Birming- ham will be required to pay $40 or foui Iltimes as much as in such cities as De. ! catur. Opelika or Eufaula.
 As Affecting Birmingham Even as to the heart of the Birming- ham business section the policy above referred to fails to take into considera- tion the fact that the Birmingham mer chant has far greater competition and | operating expenses and far heavier rents to pay than the merchant in tho | little cities, and his risk Is so grea' that year or two of hard times may | wipe out his savings of many years | On the other hand, the revenue law, in allowing the license which a city
 may collect only authorizes the city oi
 Birmingham to collect the same licens, l on mutual aid associations that tn, smaller city in Alabama collects and ii | the case of express companies, the city of Birmingham is prohibited from col l lecting any more municipal license thar
 can be collected by Montgomery, not