New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1902-06-07
DRAINAGE

pared by Hon. r f. Broussard ii
order to carry out certain plans OF
drainage. The Council, upon The
recommendation Of the advocates
of that plan. Ghe opponents being
unadvised) approved of the plan
This brought forth communica
ton to this body, from Mr. Walter
!. Burke, asking that the matter
he reconsidered
We furnish our readers with tn,
document as embodying in sub
stance the grounds of the opposi
ton;
New IBERIA La, June Ind 90.
TO the Hon. Mayor and Board of Trustees
City of New Iberia. La:
| CENT EMEN In as much as will be alb
sent this evening, and thus prevented
| from attending the session of The Council,
| | wish to communicate to YOU in writing
my request as a citizen, that your action
| indolsng the plan of the Hon. Robert +,
Rronssard for the creation of one drain
age district Of the city aud rural ieritory.
be rescinded
lou adopted the proposition after hear.
ing only one side of the issue. trust YOU
will give ear To the other
AT the request of an advocate of the
proposed plan a meeting of the Progressive
League was held. The matter was very
thoroughly discussed and resolution was
adopted adverse TO the proposition.
The law, rs it stands to-day, allows any
two contiguous districts drainage dis
trictsl to combine in their work. when il
is of a common nature. The City char
ter constitutes your body the drainage
commissioners for the City.
Now, if there be any need of drainage
for the City, or any part thereof (and such
is the case) is constituted the drainage
commission to undertake the work. If the
work to be undertaken is such as to re.
quire joint work with any out lying dis
trict, (and again such is the casel the
City Drainage Commissioners and those
| of the country may come together and de
termine what proportion of the work is
common and what the proportion of each
will be in the cost, They then raise the
revenues in their respective districts
and jointly pay for the common
work. They separately attend to the
work which is special to their respective
districts. 1t is clear that there is much
work in city drainage which differs from
that required in the country. The plan is
simple.
The attempt was made some two years
since to create drainage district com.
posed of a portion of the City of New
Iberia coupled with rural territory. This
was in disregard Of existing laws. and the
Supreme Court nul.itied the action.
1t is now sought to enact laws which
vii. again place the city and country in
congruous union. Here are reasons
against it.
The Charter of the City of New Iberia
eNempts it from the jurisdiction of the
Police Jury, except TO the imposition of a
tax for Court House and Jail and criminal
purposes.
The change proposed is, that the Police
Jury may create drainage district in
eluding tho city, the council is to have the
authority to ratify this, and by the con
currence of minds in these two bodies,
the citizens of this city are to be depri
we'd of their exemption from Police Jury
interference. This is specially objection
able when it applies to question of taxa
ton. BY that means the Police Jury can
create districts 50 as to give control by
majority, to country district over sec
ton of the city, aud repeat the matter so
as to bring the entire city to the subjec-
ton of the rural wards The approval of
the City Council would seal the matter.
The franchise rights Of the citizens are
too imp Drtant to them, for you to approve
of any proposed law, which would leave
to yon or your successors the option of
abridging them. The personel Of the pre-
sent council is guarantee that such was
not in their contemplation.
Another objection to this proposed I'M
ion is that, IT, on the other hand, the ur-
ban portion of the district should prevail.
it may not want The kind or extent of
drainage which the country requires. We
would defeat necessary tax, and thus
deprive rural territory of the needed re-
lief. The country and city need one
drain in common. The City should pay
for its share of this. DO you believe the
city will tax itself to pay for all the cross
drains which large rural territory will
require, but which will not serve the cityi
Again, there can be but one tax, uni
form and Of similar nature imposed in any
one district and for an equal term of
years throughout its extent. II it be
found advisable (and it seems likely to
impose an acreage tax in the country, how
are you to impose it in the cityi
The owner of lands in the country is
willing to pay, say 10 or Is cents per acre
for the drainage of his property, and that
would be uniform tax on all deriving
the benefits. No inequality in the assess
ment or other cause Of complaint. 1t
would suit the country; il would be stup-
idity in the City.
Again: il you adopt the ordinary method
of taxation, based on assessments, and you
consider the relative interests Of the city
so composed to the Country, you will find
that the former would be made to bear
the burden OF the tax. II the work be un-
dertaken by two commissions, working as
their interests are common, the city, on
It's larger assessment, would find, let us
say, atwo mill tax sufficient to pay its
luota of the burden. A similar tax in the