Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-08-01
CITY TAXPAYERS
Will PUSH FIGHT
Vote to Go Before Com
missioners Next Tues
day

inequalities being in favor of the
county.
o. C. Johnson stated that his own
home on jackson street mad been re-
peatedly raised, to which he did not
object, until it is placed this year at
S2,425 He said he had been offered
$4,000 for it, but would not sell be-
cause it was his home. He stated
that relative of his owned 100 acres
of land in the county for which she
had refused $125 an acre, and which
had been accepted for taxation by
the county board at $4,000.
W. NJ. Jones cited the Neill Ray
farm. He declared he would gladly
pay $75 per acre for it at any time,
and George Wheatley, member Of
the county equalizers board, who had
dropped in, confirmed the statement
of Mr.. Jones that it was accepted for
taxation at $27. so per acre.
Crawford Wheatley stated that MIR.
Ray had refused $3.50 per acre for
this place. Both he and Mr.. Jones,
however, declared that Mr.. Ray is
a man of high character, and that
they were citing this case as an exam
pie of the injustice of the system as
between the city and county and not
as a reflection on Mr.. Rays integrity
Only Equality Asked.
Mr.. Wheatley declared there would
be no complaint if all were made to
pay alike, in the city and county. he
said as a youngster from college thlr-
ty years ago he had tried to save"
Americas by showing the people the
taxes were unequal, but that he
had not made any impression, and
that the condition had gone on and
on until conditions were almost IN
tolerable. He denounced the pres
ent system of electing county COM
missioners, pointed to former days
when they were appointed and con-
ditions were different and Anerlcus
members in control of the board.
He declared the whole trouble lay in.
the fact that the business men OF
Americas were afraid to stand up.
for the rights of the city.
Lovelace Eve declared that the City
of Decatur, while he was chairman
of the city council tax committee
there, had experienced similar sat
uation to that faced by Americas.
He declared the council went to the
commissioners as men, explained the
situation, put it squarely up to them,
and obtained an agreement that the
county shot uld accept for taxation
purposes a certain per centage of the
valuations returned to the city, and
in addition should do regularly Ger
tain street work in the city. He.
thought this proper and only JUST
here.
The meeting was full of spirit
and determination on the part OF a
number of those present to fight the
issue through. 1t was decided, after
the work of the equalizers had been
denounced, however, that this board
was merely carrying out Instructions,
and that it would be proper for the
committee to interview the county
commissioners instead of the equal
izers.
The meeting adjourned subject to
the call of the chairman.
1t was stated yesterday that
George Wheatley, one of the county
equalizers, had informed Chairman
Neill A. Ray, of the county board,
that he was the center of fire in this
controversy and would resign at once
if his retention of the place embar-
raised the board, in reply to which
Chairman Ray replied that if Mr..
Wheatley resigned ne, too, would re
sign.