The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-29
.SOLONS ARE URGED
 TOPASS REFUND BILL BY THE ROTARY CLUB
Memorial Addressed to Leg islature Approved at Meet ing of the Club
 Yesterday

At the regular meeting of the Rotary club held yesterday afternoon at the Tutwiler hotel memorial was addressed tc the legislature of Birmingham asking that the bill requiring the county to re- fund to Birmingham s2OO,OoO from the general fund was approved and ordered forwarded to Montgomery. Included in the memorial were resolutions adopted, setting forth the same ideas.
 The memorial to the legislature fol- lows:
 Memorial to SOlOns
 The Birmingham Rotary club claims to be the most representative organiza- ton of business men in Birmingham. It's membership is made up of one member who has been selected on account of his high standing as representative of his line Of business. Practically every pro- fession and trade is represented in the club. The aims and purposes of the club are cooperation in the promotion of high ideals, good morals and the upbuilding of Birmingham. The membership of this club is now 140 ffrN sa-f es, s
 At recent meeting of the club there was a discussion of Birmingham's finan- cial condition, and what will be the result unless this municipal government is provided with more funds with which to pay for the administration of it's af- fairs.
 We do not criticize the recent action of the city commission in its proposal to cut expenses in all departments to such extent as to reduce expenses to the city's income, but we do view with alarm the idea of such retrenchment as to destroy or make inefficient such departments as health. sanitation, education, police and fire protection. It would, however, seem that there is no possible chance to keep up these various departments in effi- ciency without the city's being provided with more money.
 It has been pointed out that the county of Jefferson collects large amount by way of taxation on property lying within boundary lines of Birming- ham for a road fund, and that on &C., count of existing laws no part of this read fund can be expended by the county for maintenance of the public roads within the boundary lines of Birming- ham which contains about 52 square miles. Many of these roads were built by the county before the boundary lines Of Birmingham were extended. and these roads are travelled over, used and en- loved by the citizens of Jefferson county outside of the corporate limits of Bir- mingham. The laws which prevents this road fund from being used on the roads inside of our corporate limits has created an unusually large fund for the build- ing and maintenance of public roads out side of the city limits.
 ''The county has had the benefit of this money which has been paid by the taxpayers on property within the corpo rate limits of Birmingham for more than four years, and now 1t seems but fair that the law should be so changed as to let that part of the road fund realized from taxation on property within the city of Birmingham be turned over to the city government for the building and maintenance of roads and streets within the city of Birmingham and other need full purposes. This proposition appeals to us as being so absolutely fair that we do not believe any considerable number of our people would object to it.
 "In order that our views might be clearly presented to our lawmakers, this memorial is sent to them signed and executed by the officers of the club, and such members as may be reached in a few hours. 1t being our desire that this memorial shall reach you at the earliest possible moment
 This proposition was unanimously adopted at a meeting of the club one weeks ago. and we now peg permission to submit the same in this formal man. ner.
 "We would also commend to your seri- ous and careful consideration any other measures before the legislature which are intended to give relief to the city of Birmingham, feeling as we do that Bir- mingham Is good. big part of Alabama and that any calamity to this great city will be a calamity felt by all other parts of Alabama"
 In addition to the above letter to the lesislature. the following resolutions were adopted:
 Formal Resolutions
 Whereas. by operation of law. Bir- mingham is required to pay upward of $2Oc. 900 annually for the construction, im- provenent and repairs of roads and bridges outside of Birmingham and,
 Whereas. said diversion of taxes now amount to the crushing sum of more than $2.OC0.00e in 10 years: and,
 Whereas. this steady annual drain on property has been material factor in bringing about the critical condi- tion under which the taxpayers of Bir- mingham are now staggering; and
 Whereas, said diversion of taxes raised on Birmingham property is unjust, intol- erahle and indefensible; and,
 "Whereas. Birmingham property owners now pay not only all the heavy expense of keeping up about 15O0 miles of public