The Rice belt journal., 1906-05-18
GOV. BLANCHARO'S
MESSAGE
THE LEADING FEATURE OF THE GOVERN
oR,s MESSAGE WAS ALONG THE llHE
OF REDUCTION OF THE RATE OF
TAXATION
RETURN POWER TO The PEOPLE
BY Making the State and Parish ono
ers Now AppOintive, Elective.

Baton Rouge, May 1.-THE Louisl-
Ina General Assembly convened to-
Law in regular biennial session Inc
Governors message was read in both
houses. The most important parts OF
;he document follow:
It is competent for you by leglsla.
tive enactment to reduce the rate Vi
state taxation below six mills, and 1t |
is incompetent for you to fix the maxi
mum rate of parochial, municipal and
levee taxation below ten mills
This ought to be done, and II ouSh'
to be done so as to apply to the taxes
of the present year (l9O6) and suose'
quent years.
The rates of taxation in Louisiana
are too high. The high rates tend 10
discourage the coming of capital seek
ing investment and the coming or I'M
migrants to settle among us. lmml-
grafton and capital do not swarm 10
tax-ridden districts.
Let us reduce the rate OF state OF
local taxation so as not to frlghten on
the bomeseeker and investor.
But Louisiana is now in good con-
d;tion. never better. All OF her lnStl-
tutions are on a splendid footing-bet'
ter than ever before. Her educational
system was never so good. Her credit
is first. class and her bonds command
high premium in the money markets
1t would seem that the time pao
come to make beginning in tax re-
duction. The tax.spenders have mac
twentv.six unbrOken innings-fron
1880 to 1905 inclusive. Let the taXpay
ers now have an inning.
From 1900 to 1905 inclusive, perio'
of six years, the increase in the aggre
} gate assessment of the state has been
} in round numbers. $l2O,5OO,OW. {
this increase S74, 100000 (about) wa
for the five years from 1900 to 1904, IL
elusive, and the remainder, or s4o
2 OOO. 900 for the year 1905.
> The Larger increase for 1905 is a
\ counted for by the systematlc enc
2 made under the administration
. eoualize assessment rolls values tn
3 heretofore have escaped.
g This large increase in the asses
0 ment of the last six years justlties y
II in extending some lrelief to the ia
= PAYERS by reducing taxation. EV
9 if there be no increase in the agg
- gate assessment for 1906 over ~
g there should be reduction. The
% crease for 1903 over 1904 justifies it.
y I will not stand for the increase
mo-. assessments in 1908, and the proba
increase in 1906, over previous yea
being used as basis for the apr
nriation of more money to be eXpe
'is- ed. Iurge you to use it solely a.
basis for the reduction OF the bur
ent af taxation on the people.
the If YOU wait to reduce taxes l
lilly everybody is satisfied in respect
is appropriations. the time OF reduc
will never come. If the assessm
for are doubled even, and the reVe
that donbled. there would be the same
ven mand for money, more money
Ves'' there is now.
nany Let us be just to the taxpayer b
'ople we are generous with his none!
pa would be crime against the taxi
spec- to keep up the same rate OF tax
on the increased assessment fof
'oulo and previous years.
cah Our maximum rate OF parish,
) the wv w., a.d laveo district taxatio
use mains each at ten mills, or VI o
'liioV 800 valuation. This has bee
case for twenty-seven years.
Yelling o"' ~ too hioh and by legi.
they 'n"o .o,t tho MAXIMUM should
,riole. ,s ~ o;rht mills leaving to
may lice iuries and town councils an
great NV 1900 70 ont under the ma
nv. ~ if thev can.
J, and IL Will NV Wv " r;m,,m is
on the tlon reuO0ins ..h;. .ho now,
of the police juries and town
Rapid. and ,levee boards to cut nnder
stitutional maximum OF ten mi
Cassie it is, but experience shows IN
under will not, in most cases, cut unit
nd will il is necessary for you to take
er term. on that line.
in the The average police jury al
rdly be council and levee board WI
ne" nei thew cannot get along on less