St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-12-02

L 4AsS = o.@3s S@VSeS~SO 80 ~ SS0AsA
10 Sheriff Stroble, and We feel con-
6dent that he win make . good and
efficient omcer.
PUBLICATION OF THE
| ASSESSMENT ROLLS.
In N article yesterday the Tines
Democrat suggested that I'll the -
sessment rolls be Published, % that
the public can see what valuations
are placed on properties, and BY
comparison detect any fraud or UNI
der assessments that may have oc-
Cured; and We point out that
although this publication would cost
. round sum it would pay the city
o. State, - it would expose frauds
and tend to increase the assessments
on that class Of property which has
been undervalued, and has thus e.
capped its proper share Of TAXATION.
The adoption Of this system
the publication Of the assessment
rolls-would prove Of special adj
vantage to smaller property hold.
ere, who, ~ It IL well known, pay
taxes On . much higher proportion
ate valuation that the larger ones,
In St. Mary Parish, for instance,
which has shown . good increase in
it, assessment this year, the result
is due to the investigation and euer.
getic action Of The assessor, who I'D.
vanced the valuation Of many Of the |
big plantations. This course, how. |
ever, has not been pursued in other |
parishes, and the disproportion BE-
tween large and small properties |
still exists IN them. We eco NO
better way to get rid Of it than the
Of the rolls.
II it is impossible to get the per-
feet system Of equal assessments
foe which The Times-Democrat has
coatended 30 earnestly, this publica-
lion win at least be . step in the
right direction. It viii, first OF I'll,
point out and emphasize the differ.
ences and Inequalities still existing,
md arouse the people to he neces-
'ity q reform, and therefore hasten
he movement toward . better A.
system. It win do more
han this, however, for It win have !,
immediate effect, and produce It
east IN equality - far - . par.
Ih b concerned, correcting the ,
GToes and faults Of The assess I
q. II any properties have been
United from the rolls, or Il they
ave been placed there far below
heir true value. ~ compared With
sighboring properties, this fact
III Be brought out 1t once and ,
onspiciously BY published rolls; .
'deed, it b quite probable that I
ot . few property holders would /,
'el inclined TO increase their as-Io
'ssments Il they knew that theyI; !,
sre to Be published to the world, ;.
cling ashamed OF the fact that
lch . publication would bring out :;
that they were cheating the State ;,
its dues, and paying less than q
cdr neighboss and less than they b,
red. n
The publication Of The assess !,
ent rolls would at once expose - II
d ultimately correct inequalities, q
ID b, therefore, in the interest Of a
. small taxpayers, who pay the n
Tx o6 the taxes and who for that ):
ason ought to be protected. We n
not imagine that there can be Ii
y doubt that small properties are vi
lly assessed. It i notoriously
: casein New Orleans, and during ~
> discussion Of the assessment e.
started BY The Tiaes- di
some months ago, numer. ~
, instances were to cited TIE ~
No effect, that . farm Of ESQ o. al
D acres was assessed at . much e;
her rate per acre than one ten or IN
dive times - large. DO
The publication Of the rolls would, ~
'refore, benefit both The State Al,
the great mass OF the taxpayer. pr
would assure the collection Of RI
- which are now avoided, and %
y increase the revenues, and It -.
nd to . large extent equalise
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. {
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