The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1902-10-25
THE TAX DODGER

4" Il - ~ CODO y ~.
In speaking Of that numerous individual
the tax dotiger, the Lafayette Gazette
among other things, says:
''In order to he just taxation must be
equal. The desire to dodge the tax gathere,
IS generally stronger among those who are
fully able to pay their taxes. Rich corpora
tons are particularly anxious to enjoy thi.
favoritism and wealthy landowners have
from time immemorial resisted the Just de
mands of the government.
''With the exception of public property
and possibly churches the burden of taxa.
ton should be borne by all alike. The Law
has no mercy on the small property. holdes
nate brother. The man who owns and Gull
tiva'es forty acre patch of corn is a pro-
ducer. He contributes his share to the
wealth OF the country and IS as much entitled
facturer who employs \ hundred men the
railroad magnate who has to his credit
twenty millions of dollars, half of which is
in wa,ered stock"
We agree with the Gazette In this neck
of the woods afflicted with another
class of tax dodgers, who are quite numer-
Gus. They are the fellows who undervalue
their property and goods when the assesso.
is around, but estimate same At its legiti
mate figure when taking stock, insuring or
offering to sell. The small owner usually
values his forty-acre lot and box house at a
fair price, but the man who owns hundreds
OF acres and many houses, as a rule, esti-
m ties them at ridiculouslv low prices.
For instance, We have heard of people
who carry stocks of merch andise invoiced at
from 5000 to $40, 600, assessing same at
from $1,000 to 5000, with the houses and
lands are put at about one fourth the actua
cost.
The ''big' property owner is an expert a;
tax dodging.-Florida Parishes.
Equalization in the assessment
of property is doubtless a most
difficult thing to secure, but we
believe that a little more work
and an intelligent and honest ef-
fort would accomplish great
deal.
AS rule the fellow who owns
a small home and 80 or 40 acres
of land is fully assessed. He
generally has a few head of
stock and one or two vehicles.
His capacity to dodge is neces-
sarily restricted. We believe
the assessment rolls in this and
other parishes will show that
the man of limited means bears
his share of the burden of taxa
ton.
Conditions which should be
in assessing prop
erty fairly and eq uitably are too
often overlooked. A farm, near
near this town was sold a few
days ago for $4,000. 1t was as
sessed at less than $1,000. One
acre of land, in twenty-acre
tract assessed at $3.50, was sold
not long ago for $1,000. Other in
stances could be cited to show
that land in and around this
town does not pay it's quota of
taxes. 1t is safe to state that |
he same thing may be said of
zeal estate in other sections of i
he parish. And no doubt ir-
exist as to other
rinds of property.
We appreciate fully the diff
;ulties with which an assessor
must contend. The tax-dodger
5 the most artful of all dodgers
nd Boards of Reviewers, are, as
ule, disinclined to either in
rease or reduce assess ments.
But it is clear that one or the
Their must be done if it is in
ended to equalize things.
Equality in the rate does not
ecessarily mean equal taxation.
here must also be, as much as .
ossible, uniformity in the as .
essment. 1t is conceded that
ERECTION in this, as in all other
uman affairs, IS unattainable,
ut it should at least be striven
Or.
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