Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-08
N|NE TEEN TAX BILLS
ARE INTRODUCED AS
ASSEMBLY MEETS
Flood of Bills in House With
Many Changes in the
State Revenue System
Proposed

Nineteen bills providing for
changes in the present tax system of
the state of Georgia and two meas
ures providing for free school books
were introduced in the house Of rep
resentatives when the Georgia gen.
eral assembly convened in extra ses-
sion at the capitol Wednesday. The
| tax bills introduced included meas
ures providing for an income tax,
classification tax, a luxury tax,
corporation franchise tax, gross
sales tax, exemption of new indus
tries from all taxation for seven
years, repeal of the tax equaliza-
ton law and creation of budget
commission and a state auditing de-
partment.
The house Overwhelmingly voted
| down a resolution to adjourn sine
! die offered by Representative VIM
| berly, of Laurens county, despite an
| impassioned speech by the author,
wko declared that the farmers or
| the state are already groaning I'M
! der tax burdens and the extra ses-
! sion was not called for the purpose
OF relieving them.
A resolution by Representative
| Whitley, of Douglas county, to re-
cess from next Friday until nine
| days previous to the regular session
| in June, was referred to the rules
committee.
First House Motion
The first motion made in the house
was one of Representative McMich-
! ael, of Marion county, that all tax
| bills be referred to the committee OF
the whole house, to be reported upon
within one week. Mr.. McMichael de-
clared that all the members wished
to be familiar with the provisions of
tax bills, and could give them con-
Sideration, as they are the only
measures to come up.
Representative Barrett, of Stephens
county. stated that such move
would be a fine one, if the legislature
desired to kill time, but if it really
wanted to do something, it ought to
| follow the regular order of things.
He also declared that reference OF
bills to the committee of the whole
house would prevent proper debate.
! The motion was Overwhelmingly de-
feated.
/ Representative McCrory, of
Schley county, introduced a resolu-
ton to suspend the rules that Fro
hibited any member from intro
ducing more than one general bill
on the same day. He pointed out
that some members had several tax
bills to introduce, and should be
| given the privilege of getting them
up for consideration as soon as pos
sible. There was some opposition.
but after the rules committee had
recommended the passage of the
resolution it was adopted.
Representatives Miner, of Dodge
county; Aubrey, of Barlow county
and Fleming, of Hancock county, APP
pointed to act on a joint committee
with Senators Johns and Phillips in
notifying Governor Walker that the
general assembly was in session, re-
turned with a report that the gov
ernor probably would communicate
with the legislature on Thursday.
A motion by Representative Mil
ner that the senate and house meet
in joint session Thursday morning
at 11:30 o'clock to hear a message
by the governor, was adopted.
The first bill introduced in the
extra session was the same as house
bill No. 1 at the last regular session,
" a measure by Representative Stovall,
of Ebert county, to repeal the tax
equalization law. Getting first posi-
ton on the calendar gives the au-
thor of a measure a strategic adVan-
tage over authors of other measures.
At the last session the house passed
this bill, but the senate refused to
pass it until some substitute meas
ure had been adopted. There are
predictions that the senate will take
a similar stand at this session.
Elders Offers n. c. Plan
Representative Elders, of Tattnall
county, introduced six tax bills based
on the North Carolina tax system.
He has two additional measures
which he said he would offer Thurs
day One of the bills introduced
provided for san income tax not to
exceed three cents on the dollar on
net incomes.
: The general and occupational tax
act known as house bill No. $40 in
the last session, was reintroduced
as house bill No. IL, by Representa-
tive Ennis, of Baldwin, and others.
This bill doubles the tax rate on in
surance companies and makes other
changes in the present law calcu-
lated to increase the states revenues
more shan 100000.
One of the school book bills intro
duced. that by Representative Stan
ford, Of Lowndes county. provided
that the state furnish books for all
pupils in the common schools, while
another. introduced by Representa-
tive StOVall, of Ebert county, sought
to appropriate $4,000 to buy books
for first grade pupils.
The house adjourned at 1870 a.
m. until 10 o'clock Thursday.
Bills introduced
The following bills were introduced
Wednesday:
BY Messrs. Harris and Smith, OF
Jefferson-To impose d graduated
income tax, with exemptions, not tC
exceed five per cent.
BY Mr.. Stovall, of Elbert-To eX
empt new industrial enterprises com
;; ing into the state from all taxation
= for a period of seven years.
I BY Mr.. McCrory of Schley-To sup
= ply free school books to first grades
h Continued on Page 2, Column y