The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-02

EQO0lyDaevo0 ~ AeeeSsWV A0o0s
as rssss 4 e" : e "a oss:s:
sive ana very expenslve. Thsrs 10 . tendency
10 discrimlaate unfairly axair 81 che city, A.
ee"n,fy csce.Ginsiy ,ss. ccsasacu: lands d
equal Value lying n sdj0ip.iWs parishes vary ia
assessment 81 much = ssYeasy per cont II \
the correction Of err6ne0us sssessnseBts would
add eg1.0O0.0O0 to the assessment rolls Of The
state. snd to thht exteat Tighten the eenera
burden Of taxation. ] recOanmepd that there be
q hoard ii equiv lizati0n established. to consist
of one ment.er FROM each Congressional DIS
trict. properly auallhed by experience and 10,
tesyiy, te whom the sssessment rolls shall
be seieTred for equalization. This having been
once accomplished. no new assessments OF
real estate need he made Snt ".ss IN NE
snsde In New Orleans, which can be appraised
FROM time to time. or The owners might be res
States. to deposit . sworn statement Of the
registrar o. convey ances or the auditor. The
veyances OF the city Of New Orleans ehoud be
require ed 70 furnish from time to time list of all
changes Of 6w9ershlp, 40 that thS proper cor.
reCtiOns could he made on the rolls. session
Of the board Of .eQrs'isstiop Of sixty or ninety
daye would probably suffice for the purpose. and
besides the other practical benefits ybiet, would
eaving Of over tpO.O year would be effected In
the c6at Of sssessment. The states Of New Jer-
eey, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio have adopted n
system Of equellyiOR assessments similar IN
=. neral priv ciples 10 The plan / have suggested
end the method l. foaDd effective. Just ond
economical, H.f
Exenpssss frew Tsnm,Ien.
In previous messages reference has been made
to the large amountof property owned by cor.
pUatiops, ana uscd for ordinary cOtpiprrCel
AM, Hta,r protection, yielding large revenues
from aHatiOn. Article l18 OF the State constttu-
ton. which provides tb~t Taxation shall be
equal ana uniform throughout the STATE" also
provides that "thc General Assembly shall have
power 10 EXEMPT from terstion property
actualiy used for church school or charitable
this ordinance contemplated that soue Of tho
most eligible Offices and the most readily rented
stores II the best business portions 81 New Or
public halls of entertainment. co,,ing In COM
petition with similar buildings fully taxed,
should be exempt; that hanks and pawnbrokina
establtetnents should he relieved from the
licenses and teses which their competitors pay.
aud the valuable lands and buildings, outside
the CITY ., New Orleans not actua!ly used re PC
Recessed from paying their Just ehare Of tho OK.
pensee Of the general government. From q
the Hoard Of state Assessors. " appeatR that IN
the city Of new orleans. with y total assessed
valuation Of e12sooo 100. there u real and per
amount NJ o2s. sO9 s0e. In tins statement how.
ever, there ID included Item OF ~, sos, 1876 de-
scr!hed a. the value OF property owned by the
city or Incorporated town ID the State" The
capital stock OF the national banks. which by
United states law IL ese!nptcd from taxation,
appears also to be includcd; tat, making all
proper deductions. there etill remains q very
large amount Of property Hnlustly relieved from
bearing lite proportion q tss public bardsn'
smpt property on fiie In the Office Of the Score"
a,y or State for such examination or action M
you may think proper to direct.
Ceassituslssai Ausendssents.
In cousenanee with the principle Of rigid
- H. 80 - -
the government, to which the state pledged II
self when u asked Of ite creditors their assent to
tho funding OF its debt, ! recommend that
your body for subasission to the people, which
will effect the following financial refcfms:
ppnsAtiOn II hxed ny tho constitution he 40 re-
duced ~ to approximate TO the salaries paid for
similar services In other states. The salaries NJ
the executive and judicial officers Of the state
treasury warrants Of uncertain and irregular
valse. Under the provisions OF tho cousti.
salaries viii hereafter he paid In Dash and 10 il
only Just to the state and Its creditors that tho
salaries should be reduced to cash basis. A
very large saving would thus he effected.
2. Reducing the per diem Of members OF the
General Assembly to u. and the mileage to Ave
cents mile for actual distance travelled, and
saving Of about r5.ooo per annum would result
from this measure.
g. The abr,dgn,cnt Of the annual session Of
The peculiar situation Of this State with regard
10 the danger OF crevasses In tho levees and
other sudden % cmsrse ,S II would probably
biennial sess'cns. ne in msny other States. Tho
real work Of each session. however, In prscti-
,ally done 10 sss than thirty days and con,
nnlees extended BY Joint resolution ~ now pro-
sided. would probably work no injury to the
state. and would certainly result In ad,minutiOn
Farther Reducs1on sf Exnentttuyes
The fees and emoluuente Of all tax collectors
throughout the state should be reduced and
United. 40 that no country tax collector shall in
uture receive more than $4,000 per annurn. Or
cas- than tls00. and no city tax collector moro
han 5000 per annum. It 10 . safe prlu Ctple to
,fli IN that there IL no public ofilcer In Lous,ans
Whose duties a. such arc so Onerous or his re-
voneibl'ities 40 great as 70 justify larger |
PARISH Of Orleans should be limited In conformity
With this Principe. In the parishes the oheriffs
md clerks Of court should be paid by salary, |
compensation for ali fees now charged against
he parish in criminal cases. The annual bills Of /
ees presented by some OF. these officers against
'ases nlone amount to over $500 per snnum. an |
amount very much greater than The value OF the /
erviccs actually rendered. The salaries OF /
aid by the parishes themselves. The State
would thus be relieved Of an expenditure OF over
100000 year. It's question for careful CON
Ia well M the Office OF parish attorney. or dis |
riot attorney PRO tenn. might not be advan-
ageously abolished. and the duties committed |
o the district Judges and district attorney re- |
peotively.
An act OF the Legislature increases the salaries /
u the Judges OF the Supreme Court ol2,5O0 over |
he amount fixed by the constitution. This act |
hould be- repealed. Under the head Of contin- |
rent funds appropriations were made last ses- |
ion to the amount OF "a. 600. This item should |
70 largely reduced.
Some legislation should be had with regard TO |
he different monopolies That now prey upon |
he industries Of the people. Restrictions should |
10 placed upon the excessive charges now |
xacted for the legal transfer OF property, the |
ecording Of mortgages the protesting OF com
nercial paper, and the recourse to the courts i
rom the smallest Justices court upward. These
1atters. though not strictly coming under the |
read Estate expenditures can be controlled bv |
eRslat0n to the manifest advantage OF the |
community Mt large. Tho many unnecessary
harges which now hamper the commerce Of
he port in the shape of harbormaster, wharf>
niger and pGefwarden's dues should especially
q removed.
The Centennial.
An act Of . previous Legislature provided for
he appointment Of State board of managers
o represent tho intereets OF the State Mt the