The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-01
Session Begins at 3 O'Clock and Citizens Will Be Allowed to State Their Objections
LIQUOR INSPECTION STIRS CANDIDATES
 FOR NEW POSITION
Street Tax Will Be 5 Per Year on Nontaxpayers. Funds Go to the Schools
 of Greater Birmingham

At 3 o'clock this afternoon the city commissioners will take up for consider ation the street tax ordinance and the liquor inspection" ordinance
 It is emphasized that the meeting will be at 3 o'clock this afternoon, because of the fact that all manner of persons are running in and out of the city hall with complaints and suggestions regarding the tax" and "liquor" ordinances and the commissioners are desirous that all these people come in at the right time At o'clock any individual who wishes can speak right out in meeting against the proposed measures that are about to be written into the city code.
 MANY CANDIDATES
 Throughout yesterday the corridors of the city hall were packed with individ- uals who had heart message for the commissioners. This was that they were divinely inspired with the belief that the city was going to the eternal bow-wows unless they were appointed "liquor in spector' at $2500 per annum. The com missioners listened with the patience of diplomatic politicians to the importun- ings of the life savers of the citys honor and withheld decision until this after noon. when if the liquor inspection K. Barber will nominate the new official for the current year.
 The effect of the action of the commits sioners in proposing to pass $5 annual street tax on individuals not otherwise effected by state and city taxation, was shown yesterday in the rush of citizens to pay their poll taxes. The citizenry felt that paying a s15O to the state and getting vote for it was a decided ad- vantage over paying $5 to the city and getting a laugh from the collector. As today is the last day for the payment of poll taxes the office of Phil Bowers at the courthouse is expected to be kept quite busy.
 SERIOUS ABOUT STREET TAX
 The city is quite serious about the street tax. This ordinance will be passed without amendment today and it will go into immediate effect. It means that every individual who has not paid his poll tax or does not pay realty tax will be forthwith forced to pay $5 annually as a so-called street tax. If the tax is not paid it will be optional upon all individuals to go to jail or work out $5 on the city streets,
 Although it will be called a "street tax" it really isn't. All the moneys de- rived from this form of taxation will be deducted from the funds of the street department and transferred to the funds of the school department. The tax is imposed because the city commissioners are desirous that the schools be kept open until June and not closed in March, which is certain unless some additional revenue is ar- ranged by the city.
 The 'liquor inspection" tax is a measure to secure additional revenue to the city. By its provisions all liquor shipments received in the city will be inspected"-that is, the consignee of the liquors is ordered to step to the window of a civic booth at the Ter minal station and there have his car- toon torn open and the bottles stamped by an official. For this inspection the consignee of the liquors will forth with pay 50 cents.
 If the 50 cents is not paid the city officials will keep the liquor until the fee is forthcoming.
 Commissioner Ward estimated yes- terday that it would cost about $100,000 to enforce the 'liquor inspection" law. However, as about 1700 packages of liquor are shipped into Birmingham daily this will mean tidy revenue of about $250,000 year which, subtract ing the cost of operation, leaves sum of $15OO0O annually in the coffers of the city.