Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-01-07
MOVEMENT FOR
GASOLINE TAX
REPEAL BEGUN
But Alderman Allison, Belittling
Objections, Asks People For
Expression

I OF the city S0uncll lnuTSday Hlgut
i, imnosing > speeial tax of half a
-. .a,,on ~ al raso,;na so1d ~
oe''' : eaiioii -
fthe clty' the lax " De payapie iiioi'sii-
ly. Thursday afternoon movement
for early repeal of the tax gained
headway among the dealers and at
their request meeting of the ordi-
nance committee Of the council, con-
sistinp of w. Z. Taylor. r. r. Alli-
son. and ]. w. Harris, was held at
the Chamber of Commerce. About
80 men interested in the automobile
and gasoline business were, present to
voice their objection. Later Chair
man Taylor conferred with Mayor
Sheppard and it is understood a spe-
cial meeting of the council may be
called for Monday to deal with the
proposed repeal.
The gasoline dealers made various
objections to the tax. Oscar Low
ing, independent wholesaler, said it
would cost him 5000 per month. Re-
tailers indicated that they would not
pass the tax along to the public,
as was expected by council, but
would nav it. if forced. out of their
own pockets. Threats of erecting fill
ing stations on main highways just
outside of the city limits were heard
and others declared the tax would
hurt Americas, as it would drive gaso-
line trade outside the city and to 9TH
er towns.
Wants Public View.
Alderman Allison, who fathered
the gasoline tax and brought it to
successful vote by the narrow mar
gin of 4 to 3, declared today that he
would like to know Just how the pub
lie in general feels about the tax.
and suggested that. inasmuch as those
who oppose it have been heard. all
citizens who favor il make the fact
known to the mayor and members
of the council.
''If it is a good thing, let's keen
it," he said. "if not. LET us reneal II
We are in office to represent the peo-
pie and we will do what thew want
us to do if they let us know what
lit is.
Personally, / think the tax is a
just and proper one. There is no.
reason why the dealer should not add
the half cent to the retail price of
gasoline, Just as was intended. That
would pass it along to the n11blic. tt
would then constitute a tax upon
those, who could afford it. There is
nothing to the claim that it would
hurt Americus. Everybody knows
that no business man could afford
to send his truck outside the citv to
burn up gasoline and have his man
spend 20 minutes or half hour Of
time Just to save five cents ON ten
gallons of gasoline. 1t is absurd. The
tax would amount to only SIS on i !
600 gallons, and that wouldn't hit
many people very heavily. And it
would catch tourists and pleasure
cars.
Hits Obiectors.
"The people who ave bowling
loudest and hrying that it will hurt
Americus are mostly the fellows who
wouldn't give a cent to the play-
ground or swimming pool or ANYTHING
else to build up Anaericus. And i
want to say that any citizen who
would go outside the city to buy their
gasoline to save a tax of cents on
ten gallons wouldn't be a yery patri-
otic citizen and ought to be given
chance to move out. And. again,
referring to the complaint that the
tax would hurt Americus. don't
think more than two Of those who
were protesting at the meeting yes
terday were paying members Of the
Chamber of Commerce. which we try
to maintain for the good of Ameri-
Gus.
seThe way I see it. this gasoline tax
will bring in a few thousand dollars
a year to enable us to do some neces-
sary work that we can't do now.l 1t
will nrovi,]e a means for raie;ng some