By Associated Press
Birmingham, AL – A Mountain Brook dentist has sued Jefferson County over a newly approved occupational tax on grounds that it is unconstitutional for the county to tax certain professionals.
The tax was approved on Tuesday by the Jefferson County Commission.
The Birmingham News reports that Jeffrey Weissman, in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court, said the state constitution prohibits counties and municipalities from taxing him and other licensed professionals who fall into 11 occupation types.
Lawyers are seeking to make the suit a class action. If the suit is successful, architects, lawyers, accountants, doctors, engineers and others who work in the county would be exempt from paying the 0.45 percent tax that's effective Jan. 1.