The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-01
KICKS 50 FEW TAX ADJUSTERS
 ARE SURPRISED
Kilby Elated at Manner In Which People Are Re- signing Themselves to
 Increased Rates
By FRED 1T. GoRMLEY
 Montgomery Bureau Tho Age Herald
 22l-2 First National Bank Ruildjnv

Montgomery, July -(Special) )-Tax- payers of Alabama have brought pleas ant surprise to the entire state. Aston ishment might be better word to use when referring to some persons holding official positions. Although Alabama h Is talked little but taxes and revenue since the legislature began it's second session of 1919 in July, and although the general revenue law proposed general increases in revenue which would not have been dreamed of a few years ago, not one sec ton of the state has offered an organ ized protest, and the tax adUsters of all counties are surprised that so few per- sons have carried appeals from their de- cisions to the county boards of revenue. Governor Kilby is elated over the ad- vancement being made in the state in this way. He expressed the opinion today that the taxpayers have demonstrated that they desire to do everything neces- sary to forward the state and it's nstI- tutions. When we found the state would not obtain any revenue from the income tax, the administration put the matter squarely before the taxpayers and told them more funds must be obtained if tEe state was to function as a government in this enlightened twentieth century," said Governor Kilby "The result may be seen in every county.
 Few protests against tax raises have been made. Few appeals have been taken. In all cases where there have been disagreements amicable settlements have been made, either between the tax payers and adjusters, after the cases were referred to the boards of revenue. Only one county in Alabama even sug- gested an organized protest and even this county since has fallen in line and has upheld the hands of. the tax ad- juster in his efforts to obtain funds, not through excessive raises in assessments, but in raisse which would make prop ertY taxation based on the holdings which are taxable by law.
 Tn this connection. it might be said that the state has not attempted to ob- tain an unlawful increase in any in stance. No taxpayer has been asked by the tax adjuster to pay on more than 60 per cent of his holdings. Of course. it is probable that the tax adjusters in some cases have made raises which were out of line with assessments on other prop erty in the same section, and it might be true that some have unlnowinSly placed assessments at more than 60 per cent of the reasonable valuation. eBut whenever such mistakes have been made, the adjusters have been ready and wlll- ing to make corrections"
 No person vet knows what additional revenue will come into the state treas ury as a result of the work of the tax adjusters, but the general opinion in official circles is that the increase will be sufficient to meet the obligations of the state government. In addition to the increase in revenue for the state, eoun- ties and municipalities also will get n- creases, as their assessments for taxes are based on sttae assessments. This will mean much to the counties and cities, especially the latter which have been crying for more revenue for many years and which have appealed for re- lief to every legislature which has come to Montgomery in ten years