The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-27
For the Good of
 the Community

the Community TUST word to our friends at Montgomery J A revenue bill intended to raise approxi- mately $1O,5OO,OOO is pending in the house. It has been favorably reported by the ways and means committee composed of 23 members They are, Dunnaway of Dallas, chairman; Lynne of Morgan, Tompkins of Houston, Murphree of Etowah, Ingram of Clay, Benners of Jefferson Lee of Perry, Burks of Tuscaloosa, Cliett of Tal- ladega, Collins of Pickens Ellis of Bullock Fletcher of Madison, Graham of Autauga, Hale of Mobile, Jones of Escambia, Allen of Marengo, Bracken of Lawrence, Orr of Marshall Harda- way of Montgomery Smith of Sumter, Tunstall of Hale, Wilson of Calhoun and Arnold of Jef- ferson.
 lnthe pending bill it is proposed to raise about S2,OOO GOO more in revenue next year and in each of the succeeding three years than was raised this year. Of this increase the budget commit tee estimates $1,200,00O will come from Jeffer- son and five or six other counties which make up the mineral district. More than 60 per cent of this increase will come from Jefferson county.
 The income and excess profits tax is expected to furnish about $400,00O more of this increase Jefferson county will pay fully half of this Summed up, Jefferson county will be called upon to pay more than 50 per cent of the total increase in revenues during the next four years:
 In view of this fact few figures taken from State Auditor Allgood's report for the fiscal year ended September 30 1918 ought to be interesting matter for the advocates of the pending revenue bill.
 Farm lands and town lots are assessed separately in Alabama That makes 1t easy to ascertain the relative values of the farm lands in the various counties For the purpose of comparison six mineral and seventeen agricultural counties cited These agrultal con- ties selected because they are representative of the particular sections of the state in which they are located
 In the southeastern part of the state-Barbour aver age price of farm lands, $670 acre. Houson $776; Coffee, $6.98.
 Southen Butler, S48O; Mobile S1354; Monroe. $4.10.
 Central Dallas, S5.94 Autauga, S5.39 Lowndes, $6.21; Montgomery, $989; Wilcox, $4.89
 Tennessee Valley: Lauderdae, $6.35; Limestone, S1029; Madison S1449
 Northeastern: Calhoun, $967; Randolph, S638; TalapOosa, $8.1O
 $4. .41; Shelby $6.03; Tuscaloosa, $73O; Bibb $509; Walker, $713
 The area of Jefferson county is little 60O 900 acres, although the auditors report shows 1OO7,472 acres assessed This discrepancy is accounted for by reason of the fact that the title to the surface and the minerals in many instances is in different persons.
 The total value of the 1007 472 acres surface and mineral IS S36,7O1,7 ,73O The value per of the
 a area of the county S therefore, about $66 This is nine times the value of farm lands in Houston county, eleven times that of Lauderdae, six times that of Limestone, ten times that of LoWndes four and half times that of Madison ten times that of Barbour nearly fourteen times that of Butler eight times that of Calhoun, nine times that of Coffee eleven times that of Dallas, twelve times that of Auauga, than four times that of Mobile almost seven times that of Montgomery about ten times that of Randolph, eight times that os Tallapoosa nearly fourteen times that of Wilcox, and sixteen times that of Monroe.
 To 1oG4