The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1906-03-21

udHy people Will ODJect TO paying
little more in the way of such take.
than was at first expected, especially
when the same is applied to the i'm
provement of the schools in their owl
neighborhood and goes into the heart.
and minds of their own children.
Some few parishes and towns have
voted railroad taxes-so many mills
for so many years-withOut specifying
any particular sum to be raised after
the realization of which such tax
should a and determine.
That was unwise in this: that no
special railroad tax should be voted
unless it be distinctly stipulated that
it is voted to raise a given sum, and
that when this sum is realized the
tax shall a But parishes, or
towns, or wards that have made the
mistake of voting railroad taxes in
the way indicated, viz: so nan mills
for so many years, without guarding
their interests by the stipulation of
an aggregate sum to be raised, after
which the tax is to cease, should not
stand in the way of the States pro-
gress by opposing the plan proposed
for reform in assessments and reduc-
ton in the rate of taxation.
~"Equalizing assessments does not
mean increasing the assessments on
property already assessed high as
compared with the property of others.
1t means bringing the assessments of
the latter to the figures of the former.
Thus. the assessment on the prop
erty OF some people may be high
enough; on the property of others en-
tirely too low as compared with their
neighbors. Equalization means bring
ing the assessment of the latter I'D to
figures of the former: not still
increasing the assessments of
whose assessments are already
high enough. \
Again, equalization means that all
ne property a man owns mot exempt
law from taxation) should bear its |
ust proportion of the burdens of gov
Where one nan pays taxes
IN all taxable property he owns |
nd the other pays on only a part he !
WINS, there is inequality and injustice,
nd equalization demands that all the |
axable property of the latter be |
rought on the rolls. !
AT The session of the Legislature two
ears ago, the appropriations made
ere predicted on the probable aggre-
ate assessments for 1904. The exact
for that year was not then
nown. The Legislative Committee.
SISTED by the Auditor and Treasurer,
the probable assessment for
'O4 at $3.50, OOO, 900. That they came
cry near the mark is shown by the
CT that when the rolls were. later.
'mpleted and the aggregate assess. y
looted up. it showed 1851, OlS, 941.
ne assessment for the preceding -
'ar, 1908, had been 1886, lis, 34S.
'On the estimate of $3.50, 900, 900 as !
for 1904, the appropriations y
ade for the past fiscal year and the
cal year that will end June 30, 1906.
re based.
1T took all the six mills allowed by
Constitution for State taxes to
sufficient money on that valua-
N to meet the expenses of the State =
per the appropriations made.
But when the Legislature meets
s spring it will find that the assess
nts for 1905 aggregated nearly $780, =.
1000, and that is probable the as
'sment for 1906 will be largely in
;ess of that. =
NOW, then, four and a half mills q
lte taxes, will, on the probable ao-
gate valuation for 1906, likely yield
much money as six mills did on the
uation of $3.50, 600, 900 in 1904. ~
Ii this be so, then there is plain -.
ling for the reduction of the rate of II
tie taxes from six to four and a half
Is, with corresponding decrease in
maximum rate of parochial and
taxation.
1t would be a crime against the
payers to keep up the same rate of
alton on a largely increased as
ment for 1906 as existed on a
n Embarrassment of 1851. OOO-
for 1884,"