Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-07-16
COMPROMISE IS
FORUMS PLAN
ON SCHOOL TAX
Valuations Increase and
SIS Head Tax Ap-
! proved

The Chamber of Commerce forum
meeting at the court house last night,
called for discussion of th- best way
for raising the $4,000 additional
city tax money required this year to
pay teachers salaries, went on rec
ord for a compromise between the
plans that have been suggested. The
compromise followed a statement by
City Attorney Lane that increased
property valuation this year would
result in considerable increased reve-
nue. at the present tax rate, and took
the form OF a resolution, offered
by Frank Harold, approving a per
capita tax of not to exceed $5. I'M
mediately following the passage of
this resolution another resolution by
Lewis Ellis, was adopted putting the
meeting behind a proposal to equal
ize the total of property values for
taxation purposes in the city of Am
eriucs this year from $4,500,000 to
$5,500,000. 1t had previously been
explained that if this could or should
be done ample revenue to meet the
additional $4,000 needed for the
city schools would be Forthcoming,
with additional money for other city
departments, which are now skimp-
ing to the limit, and no per capita
tax would need to be levied.
Discussion Vigorous.
1t was an interesting meeting, at
tended by probably rs men, repre-
sentative of varied interests and ac-
tivities. There were bankers, law
yers, merchants, doctors, day work
ers, railroad men and representatives
of other lines of endeavor. The Gis-
cussion at times was vigorous and
the language plain, and opinion was
not at all times thoroughly IT ac-
cord, although strenuous effort was
being made at all times to reach
common ground Even the decisions
reached were not reached By unan-
imous vote, some holding out to the
last against any per capita tax and
others refusing to vote for the pro-
posed increase in property values.
The meeting was presided over by
Frank Lanier, chairman of Ehe forum
committee of the Chamber OF Com
merce. He declared that the teach
ers were among the very poorest paid
of our workers and that the object
of the meeting was to find program
for raising the money.
For Any Plan.
eff you want to raise the tax rate
am with you," he said; "if you want
to raise valuations l am with you;
if YOU want to place a per capita
tax I am with you on that, too.
don't believe the tax values here are
bioh enough. but in the city they
are higher than in the county, and
the man in the city is paying more
now in proportion than he should.
Land is given in here at $14 per acre
that the owner wouldn't sell for $3.50.
That condition exists everywhere,
however, and is not peculiar to Sum-
ter county"
DYKES, vice-president of the board
of education, who outlined the neces-
sitv for the additional $4,000 for
the schools this year. He declared
that unless a way was found this
wear before the adjournment of the
legislature to secure the money the
schools were faced with the alterna-
tive of closing in 1921. He said the
money could be and would be bor-
rowed this year, but would have co
be paid back next year, which would
mean shutting down of the schools
unless the money were prepared Tor
now.
Can't. H. M. Stokes, Seaboatd con-
dv..tor, opened the discussion by say
iiSss hat he couldn't see any way out
but to raise the assessment by act OF
the legislature, increasing IT from ~
to 22 mills, which would supply the
additional $4,000, as this would
avoid the increase of taxes to the
county which would follow the raise
in valuations.
Against Levy Increase.
Carr Glover, president of the
Chamber of Commerce, opposed an
increase in the levy, declaring it
would look bad to an outsider who
is not familiar with the low valuations
here. He favored the per capita
tax, but suggested that this might
NOT exceed 81 or $5 if valuations
are increased this year as has be-
indicated they are to be: :.
John Sheffield inquired whether 1t
were not true that to raise $lO,UOO
by an increase of values it would not
be necessary to raise 100000 addl-
tional tax money, since schools re-
ceive only about one-thlrd the total,
the limit being fixed by the charter.
Several on the Eoor stated that this
was correct. ;,
City Attorney Lane went into the
matter at some length. He stated
he disfavored a per capita tax, bat
showed that to raise all of the mon
ev by increased valuations could
hardly be done because the people
wouldn't stand for value increases
to the extent required, but he said
it would be possible to raise part
of it by increased valuations and that