Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-27
RESULTS Of EXTRA L
SESSION DOUBTFUL
ON NEW MEASURES
Ellis Bill Held Only One With
Chance of Passing
lock Imminent on Whole
Program

lOSt all
Members of the Georgia general
assembly left Atlanta Saturday en-
PERTAINING grave doubts that the
present extra session of the legis-
lature will accomplish anything at
all in the way of revenue reform, url-
less the session is prolonged for two
o. three weeks more. There is no
possibility of the program being COM
pleted this week, as the legislators
DC not intend to miss Thanksgiving
dinner at home, and probably will
&C ou.n from Wednesday until Mon
day of the week following.
Supporters of the tax commits
sion's reform program were Sorely
disappointed that a vote on the
Landlord income tax measure was
not reached in the house last week,
but they realized that it would be
suicidal to force vote during the
absence of Representative A. S.
Bussey, of Crisp county, author or
the B~~sey- substitute for the Lanlz-
ford measure. Representative Bus
sey has q personal following in the
hou that is large enough to defeat
any measure requiring a two-thirds
vote, if so inclined, and the worS
went out that these followers WOULD
resent any effort to prevent the
Crisp representative being heard on
his own measure. Mr., Bussey, who
has been at the bedside of his moth
er, /, Cordele, has stated that he will
be back in his seat on Monday.
AFR the rules committee took ac-
ton Friday to set the vote on the
Landlord bill for Tuesday morning,
the house marke time t. large ex-
tent. No afternoon session was held
Friday and none on Saturday.
Speaker Neill agreed to this pro
G.am because no other business can
be transacted until after the income
tax issue is disposed of.
Deadlock Indicated
An unofficial poll of TIE house in
dicItes that neither the Lankford
income tax bill nor the Bussey sub
stitute can be passed unless the two
factions get together, and no other
substitute is considered to have
chance. This situation arises from
are listed as opposed to any changes
in the present revenue system The
attendance has not exceeded 1856 on
any roll call during the present SEES
sion, and 1873 votes are required TO
pi an amendment to the constitu
ton. Checking off the forty mem
bers who are opposed to tax changes,
it would take a. very small differ
en- of opinion over proposed
measure to prevent its passage.
The introduction Of a. bin provid.
ing Tor an income tax without con-
stitutional amendment, by Repre-
sentative Robert G. Ellis, of Tiff
county, was regarded in some quar-
tiers as indicating that the state tax
commission has abandoned hope of
mastering the vote required for a
constitutional amendr ent, on its
original tax measures Mr.. Ellis ID
vi chairman Of the state tax COM
mis-. on and has introduced two OF
the bills the commission is SPONSOR
ing. He offered his statutory I'M
come tax measure as house bill No.
81, one week after the other meas
ures wer +, placed on the calendar,
and when a definite cleavage was
alIedQy .IldullcSL Ill Iu0 uOuSe.
The indications now are that sup
porters Of the tax commission pro-
gram will rally to the Ellis bill, il
the Lank~ ord measure, as amended
by the house, does not pass, and
hackers Of the Bussey substitute
fai to put that measure over. The
Ellis bill provides for a limited in
come tax, d reduction Of the ad
fn To
two and a half mills, and the estab.
llshment Of machinery for the col.
lection of all taxes. it thus carries
out three of the recommendations OF
the state t,,-l commission.
Hope of RefOrmers
AS the Ellis bill will not require a
two-thirds vote of the entire enroll
ment of the house, but can be passed
by a bare majority, it is beginning
to take a place as the hope of the
re nue. reformers. Representatives
ELI, Barrett, Of Stephens county,
end other well-known lawyers in the
house. insist that an income tax can
be pas Il without a constitutional
amendment, and point to the pres
emit taxes assessed against the in
comes of insurance companies, soft
drink manufacturers, and other in
dustrires, IN the general tax act
that has been ON the books for sew
eral years.
If some form of income tax is not
passed, it is considered to be i'm
probable that any other legislation
will he attempted, except an agree
n2ent on senate amendments to the
general tax act alrady passed by
the house, and probably a bill to
give the state the power to compel
the payment Of taxes already en-
acted. With no additional revenue
provided, free school book legisla-
ton would be looked upon as a for
lorn hope at the present time.
Indications of a break between the
two branches over the repeal of the
tax equalization law We're increas-
ing toward the weekend. The house
passed the repeal bill as it's firt
measure, and sent it to the senate
on Friday, November Is. The SEN
ate committee had taken no action
on the bill one week later, and mem.
bers of the house were asking why.
The same situation developed at the
regular session last summer, when
the house passed a similar bill and
1T was never reported out of the
senate committee to which it was
referred. There are many "lasrs
ditchers" in the house who will re-
fuse to vote for any new tax law
until the repeal measure becomes a
law, it is said
Former Tax Colloctor EY