The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-01-15
STATE REFORMS.

The system of assessing and collect
ing taxes now in operation ia cumbrous
expensive and unjust. A vast amoun
of property throughout the State is ex
emDted from taxation by special or gen
eraI legislation, though the constitutio,
distinctly requires that taxation shall
be equal and uniform throughout th,
State. Some of the most valuable pro
perty in the city of New Orleans, be
longing to wealthy corporations is ex.
empted by law from tax assessment
both of State and city, though occupied
for ordinary commercial purposes, ant
yielding heavy rentals; while adioinins
properties, forming possibly a widows
jointure or an orphans portion, are as.
sessed up to their full value. 1t is 8
matter for your grave considerations
whether a general repeal of all exemp.
tions of private and corporate property
from State and city taxation would moi
be an act of justice to the many, involv.
ing comparatively limited hardships tc
| the few.
With regard to the manner of assess
ing and collecting taxes, I have from
time to time recommended that the
whole system should be radically
changed. There should be but one
board of assessors for city and State,
and they should be paid by fixed sala-
ries. The exOrbitant fees of the State
tax collectors i'm the city districts should
be reduced so as to yield them only an
income commensurate with the respOn-
sibilities of their positions.
There are other State officers whose
compensations should be reduced, as I
have repeatedly urged in previous mes
4, - 4ln Nu,rcA -n&3 - 81
the efficiency of the public service.
attention more in detail hereafter.
In this connection ! may be permitted
to say that the expenses of the General
Assembly for many years past have been
much greater than public necessity re-
quired or than strict justice to the peo-
pie and to the creditors of the State
could sanction. The expenses of last
years session were less than those of the
year before, and they again were much
less than the expenses of preceding
years. Still, by the employment of un-
necessary clerks and pages and by X
cessive appropriations fer contingent
purposes the expenses wen of last year
We're fully double what they should
have been had proper economy been
practiced.
/ can not too persistently urge upon
you, gentlemen of the Legislature, the
great Importance of at once carrying
into effect the reforms and reductions
of public expenditure which | have in
dicated, and others which will doubtless
suggest themselves to yOu. Having
scaled down our State debt to q point
which will enable us by economy, thrift
and good management TO meet our in
terest promptly and greatly appreciate
our bonds, we wv it TO our creditors
and to ourselves so to administer our af-
fairs as to secure to the holders of our
bonds the promised enhancement of the
State credit, and to our taxpayers and
the people generally that relief from
oppressive burdens which will increase
the prosperity Of the State, and bring
and capital ono more with
in Dur borders. | assure you that any
Well-considefed measure You may pass
in view the further reduction of
State and city expenditures, and the
further reduction of taxation, will
promtly receive the Executive approval.
Let me add that the experience of the
past two years has strengthened the
| expressed in my inaugural,
namely: That the Executive is invested
with too much patronage, and that it
be better for the Executive and
better for the State if a large amount Of
his patronage were RENTED to the
people to whom it properly belongs.