The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-09-04
LAWMAKERS TAKE SIDES
PREPARATORY TO FRAY
STATE TAX COMMISSIONERS
ENTERS SCRAP AS CHAM
PION OF DAVIS BILL.
REFORMERS PREPARE MEASURE
Governor Says Fullbright's Proposal
Is More Obnoxious Than Present
Law. Session Is Expected to Be
Hot From the Start.

Hot From the Start.
ATLANTA, Ga.-With a special
session of the Georgia legislature a
certainty, advocates of tax reform are
beginning to take sides on the legis-
lation that will be considered when
the lawmakers get together. 1t is pre-
dicted that the hardest fight of the
session will be over the repeal of the
tax equalization law.
Henry J. Fullbright, state tax COM
missioner, has come out in unqualified
support of the bill offered by Senator
John Camp Davis, of Rome, as a sub
stitute for the bill of Senator Pace, of
Americas, repeating the tax equaliza-
ton law. The substitute makes new
method of assessing and cqualizing
tax values, but Governor Walker has
declared that the new method would
be even more obnoxious than the old.
Commissioner Fullbright has given
out the following review of the Davis
substitute:
Grand .Juries Would Select.
Instead of the present plan of
county commissioners selecting three
men and naming them for terms of
six years, undcr the new law the grand
juries will select these board mem
bers for terms of two years, and de-
eide whether the board will consist
of three or more members, not to ex-
coed one to each militia district, and
fix their compensation.
"When for any reason it shall ap-
pear that a man has gotten on the To-
cal board who is corrupt, or is partial
in the discharge of his duties, any tax
payer may prefer charges against him,
under oath, and these charges shall be
investigated by the grand jury then
in session, or by the next one, report
ing to the judge, and removing. the
member if the charges. are sustained.
Under the proposed law these
boards may meet at any time for the
purpose of Inquiring into whether or
not property subject to taxation is
escaping, and is given all the inquisl-
torial powers of a court, for the pur-
pose of determining the ownership
of property as we'll as its value, to
the end that all property shall be, tax
ed. These investigations are to be con-
Quoted under uniform regulations,
prescribed by state board, OF which
.. the governor shall be member.
Have County Attorney Present.
"When arbitration is demanded To-
cal boards have the right to request
the county commissioners to have the
county attorney attend the hearing
and represent the state and county.
when an increase is ordered by
the state tax commissioner this local
board shall apportion it between tax
payers, instead OF it being applied on
the per cent basis, as at present.
"The proposed law makes legal the
calling together of the county tax
officials from the several counties in
each congressional district, in annual
conference with the state tax commis-
sioner. After fully comparing values
as shown by the returned figures OF
the several counties with each other.
as we'll as with the actual values, and
considering the local conditions in the
several counties, the conference will
pass such resolutions and make such
recommendations as it may deem nee
essary in order to adjust the differ
ences in tax values, and as nearly as
possible equalize between counties.
State Board of Review.
"Under the proposed law the gov
ernor, the secretary of state and the
state treasurer will constitute a board
of review for the purpose of passing
upon and determining questions that
may arise between the state tax COM
missioner and the county boards. Pro
vision is made for appeals to this
state board instead of arbitration, as
now provided.
"The state board OF review is also
required, in conjunction with the. tax
commissioner, to formulate uniform
rules and regulations to be used by all
local boards in conducting investiga-
tons and determining values for tax
purposes, so that one county board
may not follow one. method while an
other adopts an entirely different plan
as at present