The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1906-03-21
INCREASED ASSESSMENTS,
Gov. Blanchard Makes Statement of Con-
ditions and What He Expects to Ac-
complish During His Term in Re-
forming Public Finances.

his policy with regard to assessment
throughout the State:
The policy of the administrator
with regard to increase of assessment
having been misunderstood in som
quarters and misrepresented in Others
L deem it well at this time to clearI
and succinctly set forth what | hon
to accomplish during my term of OF
nee as Governor in the way of reform
ing the public finances.
"That there is urgent need of reform
is, believe, conceded by even thos,
who have but a superficial knowledg,
OF the subject. The Constitution
X OF 1898 had something liks
this in mind when they enacted q
mandatory provision enjoining upon
the General Assembly to provide q
system OF equalization and uniformi.
" In assessments, based upon the rel
alive value of property in different
portions of the State. The General
Assembly has never yet done this,
when l became Governor a close
study OF the assessment question con-
WINGED me that the inequalities of that
system, as they operated, created an
urgent demand for reform. The visi
bic property of the small taxpayer.
such as land holdings and real estate,
was being taxed to meet the demands
OF government, while much of the in
visible property of the well-to-do.
such as taxable shares and other Sc
curities, was escaping its just share of
b burden of taxation.
Il found, too, that property was no.
toriously under assessed throughout
the State. In addition to this, I saw
That as the assessment system opera
ted; one man holding land of the same
relative character, productiveness and
value as that of his neighbor, paid;
more into the State treasury in the
way OF taxes than his neighbor. and
this, because of inequality of assess
ment. Lands of the same quality and
in adjoining parishes bore
assessments. This was mani /,
unfair and opposed to all theo- !
ries of equal division of the burdens ,
o government. Yet the system had :
existed for many years. =
Louisiana, with, I believe, twelve
hundred million dollars of assessable .
property, had an aggregate assess q
nent OF less than 1851, 900, 900 when 4
became Governor. l deemed it my
luty to do what l could to equalizs !,
burdens of government, in order n
nat these burdens might fall with G,
quai weight, proportionately to hold Il
ngs, on all taxpayers. 1t was not n
~ purpose, nor has it ever been nv Il
urpose, to increase the burden of :,
II.
The plan l adopted was to gradual CT
increase the assessments of proper hi
:, and at the same time gradually re- ~
nee the rate of taxation. It has w,
represented that 1 advocated nc
aislng the aggregate assessment of on
70 State at once from 500, 900, 900 to no
'oo, 0O0, 900. This is not true. The AZ
ssessments in Louisiana should be n.
creased gradually. and as assess M
ents go up the rate of taxation
lould go down. The work of gradu. wt
~ increasing assessments to some Al,
ing like the actual cash value of l9t
'operty, as the law commands wo
louid be run through this adminis-
ation and the next, and perhaps be- int
md. But a beginning should be of
sde now. To get the assessments up as
500, 600, 900 to $500. 900, 900 and :
rate of taxation down to two and en-.
e-hslf mills for the State and four tov
parish, municipal and district DO,
res each, is recognized by me to be red
that must necessarily extend VIII,
'ough from five to eight years. the
An aggregate assessment of $780, jus
80 for the State is hoped for as the
ultimate result, not an immediate tax
uit It Is only when the rate of ="
'ataon has been sufficiently reduced this
ne Legislature to warrant it that deb
aggregate assessment in Louis or
. can ever reach that sum. But pai,
the Legislature can begin to g.
me rate . material increase in hav
ssstnsnts must be shown. dist
nv purpose is not to add to, but thes
qnalize tho burdens OF government man
NO SANS Time enhance the ma out