The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-25
KLYCE CLAIMS THAT
LARGE REALTY MEN
BLOCKASSESSMENTS
Member Board of Equaliz-
ers Says Big Corporations
Settle Readily-Some
Owners Hesitate

over Is per cent of the property own
ers of the city and county have settled
their assessments amicably with the
board of county equalizers, according to
statement made by A. S. Klyce, a
member of the board, yesterday after
noon.
Mr.. Klyce also made the significant
statement that all the large corporations
were settling without making any trou-
BILE and the only embarra ssment caused
the board of equalzers came from large
individual property owners of the city.
According to Mr.. Klyce, the large
realty owners had, as soon as the prop
erty valuations of the board of equalizers
become public, attacked the board as
tax raiders" with the sole object of
creating unrest and dissatisfaction and
also to aid them in the courts later when
they appealed their cases by influencing
the public mind. These large property
owners, averred Mr. Klyce, had now
realized the folly of such criticism and
its large individual property owners were
hastily settling up with the board.
LII ISl hLHAA11No
But the effect of their attack on the
realty values of the city remains" said
Mr.. Klyce, "and while their leaders are
settling up with us, the public still mis-
understands and believes that we have
raised taxes all out of proportion which
is not the case at all.
However, the property owners under
stand the citua of ha
present time, and they are fastening to
appear before the board to settle their
valres before August 30.
IF the impression has gone abroad that
birmingham was oVertaXed, that realty
values were all rent ruthlessly asunder,
let the large individual property owners
of the city whose sole desire is to dodge
taxation stand as indicted for having
given this city bad name to the world
at-large.
LAS for the large corporations they
are settling all their differences with
the board without the slightest trouble
IL fact, more fuss has been made by a
few large individual property owners
than by all the large corporate ons put to-
gether.
AS to the large number of appeal
cases against the valuations of the board
they are dwindling down. One large
active in criticizing the equalizing board
withdrew all of his appeals a few days
ago and settled. He knew he could get
no relief in court for the simple rea-
son that even at our figures he was still
unGertaXed.
ARE WORKING HARD
I'VE are working IS hours every day
of the week, and this arduous labor is
done through an earnest desire to serve
the public. The books of the board will
be closed on August so, and we will
then proceed to prepare the valuations
for the tax assessor"
From morning until nghtfall the
equalizers are kept busy settling prop
erty adjustments in Judge Crows court
room. One noticeable change is that the
atmosphere is cleared somewhat, and the
spirit of antagonism is gone The prop
erty owners now sit down before a men,
Der of the board with smile and seek
by Jollying' rather than browbeating
to secure what they presume to be a fair
valuation of their property. Sometime
their argument wins and then again
sometimes it does not, but everything is
dcne with marked good nature.