St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-12-21
nEQJESTlON OF ASSESSMENTS

HEQJESTlON OF ASSESSMENTS
Col. j. NJ. Foster, President O
the Police Jury Of Caddo Parish
has forwarded the following circu
lar letter to the Assessors and Pc
lice Jurors throughout the State:
| AS the subject of uniform ant
equal assessments is agitating tn,
minds Of the people in all portions
Of our State, and as ii is well known
that the assessments on the sam,
kinds Of property vary in different
parishes, which do not distribut,
the burden Of tax paying in proper
ton 10 the real value Of the proper.
ty assessed, and it is the genera
desire that more uniform assess.
ment be made on all kinds of prop
erty in our State, and as it seems
that III equalizing board can only
be obtained at great cost to the
State, and rs the Police Juries OF
the respective parishes are compe-
tent to act in this matter, it has
been suggested that a meeting OF
the assessors and q committee to be
composed Of one man from each
parish appointed to act in that ca
pacity by the Police Jury of each
parish, be held at the Statehouse in
Baton Rouge, on Feb. 3, 1890, at
II NJ, to discuss and agree upon q
uniform value ON all property to be
assessed.
This will enable the assessors and
Police Jurors to simplify the matter
Of assessments and more thoroughly
equalize the burdens Of taxation, so
that no part Of the State will COM
plain that too great . proportion has
been placed ON it.
If you will consent to be present
at such a meeting, at the time and
place mentioned, please signify your
intention by corresponding.
Commenting on the above the
Baton Rouge Truth very sensibly
and truthfully says: All must agree
with the distinguished president of
Caddo's police jury that equal and
uniform taxation, so levied as to
make the burdens Of government
rest evenly upon all sections alike is
greatly to be desired. But how can
this be brought about! This is the |
question. Does Col. Fosters plan
present none of the difficulties ac-
companying the measures heretofore
suggested! Not only does it fail to
avoid any Of them, but it furnishes
he additional one of evident i'm
,racticability.
The only way to effect uniforms
y Of assessment is through the
lgency Of . commission, board of
'qualization, or whatever you may
'e pleased to term it, which is nee
'essarily vested with very large
'owers and discretion on subjects
INVOLVING the assessment and valua-
ion Of property. Heretofore the
'eople have been unwilling that this
'ower should get too far away from
heir control. 1t is too centralizing,
ence undemOcratic in its tenden-
les. All measures, therefore,
,oking toward the creation of a
GARD of equalization have been ;
defeated. !:
The feature that distinguishes the {
aldo plan from others consists in I
he fact that while they might be .
lade the means Of oppression un-
er some circumstances, this plan Il
ould be utterly impotent either Il
} Cypress or accomplish the result q
esired. The work Of the propos-
convention or commission might =
, nulliiied by any police jury which t
lould become dissatisfied with the 5
'tion and unwilling to ratify and
,prove the course Of its commission :
and TINS place matters in the o
tuation Of inequality they now are. S
This question Of assessment, how
er, is very complex one, and :.
ere conld be no harm done should =,
e assessors throughout the State al
eet and discuss the matter. iC
ley are sworn and bonded officers, al
vertheless, and the matter OF as ~
ssment rests entirely is their hands K
bject to the control Of no commits n,
IN or tribunal except the police b!
ries sitting as boards Of reviewers. ~
our opinion, little can be done .
the direction of this reform that
es not involve q change of sys-