New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-05
The expenditures of other cities for school
purposes during the past year have been

SlnfranclscO 2O.!o bS6.479 80 0S
1t will thus be seen that the cost of the
public schools in the city of New Orleans
instead of being excessive is below the
average of other cities. Our present school
system may be open to objection IN some
respects, but believe much of the dissatis-
faction expressed has arisen from misap-
prehension of the true condition of affairs,
or has grown out of prejudice fostered for
partisan ends. Education is the very bull
wark of civilization. The benefits received
from our public schools are so immensely
greater than the expenditure their mainten-
ance involves, that any successful attempt
to cripple their usefulness would be public
calamity. 1t is in truth a strange and mis-
taken policy that in the assumed interest
of property attacks the sources from
which are derived the means of preserving
public order, and of educating the children
of the State. The proposition to suspend
the police and school tax, aside from it's
palpable violation Of existing laws, and the
tendency that such proposition, if carried
out, would have to bring the State gov
eminent into collision with the CITY
political animosities and complications
which, happily for the success of the hoped
for legislative reforms are now dormant,
strikes directly at the poorer classes, who
need protection in person and property, and
are unable otherwise to supply it, and de-
prives them Of q vital want they
can not otherwise supply, the education
of their children, while it indirectly affects
every material interest of the city. With
education and the means of enforcing the
law banished from q community, property
would have little appreciable value.
EQUALIZATION OF ASSESSMENTS.
The present system of appraising and
assessing the values of the State is unequal,
oppressive and very expensive. There is Q
to discriminate unfairly against
the city. Assessments in the city are arbi-
trary, and in the country are exceedingly
lax. Contiguous lands of equal value lying
in adjoining parishes vary in assessment as
much as seventy per cent. 1t is believed
an equitable equalization of values and the
OF erroneous assessments would
add $40 ZOO, 900 to the assessment rolls of
the State, and to that extent tighten the
general burden of taxation. recommend
that there be board of equalization estab-
lished, to consist of one member from
each congressional district, properly
qualified by experience and integrity,
to whom the assessment rolls shall be re-
ferred for equalization. This having been
once accomplished, no new assessment of
real estate need be made but once in five
years, except as to permanent improve
nents made in New Orleans, which lean be |
appraised from time to time, or the owners |
night be required, as in New Jersey and |
several other States, to deposit q sworn
made by them with the registrar of convey
ances or the Auditor. The recorder of each |
parish and the registrar of conveyances of |
he city of New Orleans should be required |
20 furnish FROM time to time list of all |
changes of ownership, so that the proper |
could be made on the rolls. A |
session of the board of equalization of sixty |
IT ninety days would probably suffice for
the purpose, and besides the other practical |
benefits which would result from the adop-
lion OF this plan, direct saving Of over
300, 900 year would be effected in the cost |
If assessment. The States of New Jersey,
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio have adopted !
! system of equalizing assessments similar |
n general principles to the plan 1 have
and the method is found effec-
i've, just and economical.
EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION.
In previous messages reference has been |
made to the large amount of property
'wned by corporations, and used for ordi-
larry commercial purposes, receiving all the
benefits of municipal and State protection,
FIELDING large revenues from rentals, yet |
from taxation. Article l18 |
# the State constitution, which provides
hat taxation shall be equal and uniform
throughout the State" also provides that
the General Assembly shall have power to
Exempt from taxation property actually
lsed for church, school or charitable pur-
'oses." Neither the letter nor the spirit of |
his ordinance contemplated that some Of !