St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1880-12-04
HOW THE POLL TAX is COL.
LECTED.
New Orleans Democrats

calling attention to the provisions
of act 120 of 1880, levyiug a poll
tax Of one dollar upon each male
inhabitant Of this State twenty-one
years old and upward, for school
purposes suggests a difficulty i'll
the way on account of a failure on
the part of the assessors to include
the levy on the rolls. The FARMER
says: "There are hundreds of voters
III every parish who should be re-
quired to pay the poll tax. Their
names do not appear on the tax roll,
and consequently the collector as
no bills against them"
The poll tax Is Il specific tax levied
by the Legislature. not upon voters
simply. but upon ali men of the age
named in the act, who are iphabi :
ants Of this State, whether they are
voters or not Being u specific tax,
With the exact amouut tixed by
law, no action Of the assessors In
the matter oft collection is author
ICED or allowed. The fourth sec
ton OF the act prescribes the man
ner in which the collectors snail
prepare u list of those who pay the
tax, The time OF payment and the
manner in which entries shall be
made. The next section requires
the collector to settle once in every
three months. Final settlements
must be made on the last Gay of
December 81 each year. The pres
ent Year is specially named as ope in
which the PROVISIONS of the law are
applicable.
The tax collector, representing
the State, has claim for 81 per
year against each grown-up man,
and, to secure its payment, is given
a lien and privilege upon the goods
ana chattels. etc, not only OF the
individual so made liable, but also
upon all employers Tor whom he
has worked for ninety days or up
ward during the year. The only
formalty required is that upon the
payment of the money the collector
Shall give the payer receipt for the
same.
Those persons who hold back the
tax upon the Flea that it has not
been placed upon the assessors roll
will be liable to trouble and costs,
as the tax collectors are required
by law and stimulated by their in
terests 10 collect the money rs close
ly as possible. The thirty-first of
December is the last day of gracs,
after which it will be the duty of the
collectors to take summary proceed
lngs.
We do not deem it necessary here
to repeat what the Democrat has al
ready said about the sacredness of
this lax, nor the JOY its prompt pay |
ment will bring to the almost de-
spondent hearts of many hundred |
worthy teachers, who have so long
suffered privation, and even want,
because the sun has been too often
permitted to down upon their
Glpajd services.
From the above explanation OF
the law by the Democrat, it will be
seen that all male inhabitants CT the
State, whether+t they are voters or
not, are required to pay the special
tax of one dollar for school pur-
poses. Aside from the fact that
the collector is compelled by law
to collect this special tax, it should
be the pride aud boast of every citi-
Zen of st. Tammany parish that he
has paid his dollar in aid of tie
public schools. The amount thus
paid goes to the support of the pub
tic schools of the parish in which it
IS collected. If our citizens will
come forward promptly and do
heir duty in this matter, at least
$500 can be added to the pubic
school fluid of St. Tammany. This
sum, divided pro rate between the
en- walds, would give to each ward
$50 per year, which, ut S25 per
month for teacher, would sup
BORT one good school in eacu ward
or six months, Or with our por-
ion of the State chool fund added ,
night enable Us to maintain puplic i
chools nine months during the {
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