The herald., 1912-10-17

| Stitution of the State OF LOUISIANA
| relative to the mourning of debt
and Issuing bonds for work of pub
| lie Improvement, and to the valida-
ton. and refunding of bonds issued
fo- such improvements, by munlci-
| pal corporations, parish and school,
| drainage, sewerage and other dis
tricts Cthe City of New Orleans
eXcepted), and the assessment OF
special taxes and forced contrlpu-
| items to pay for same.
Section l. Be ii resolved by the Gen
| eral Assembly of the State OF LOUISIANA,
two-thirds (2-3) of all the members
Article two hundred and eighty-one
(2Sl) of the Constitution of the state
| of Louisiana be so amended as TO read
as follows:
ARTICLE PSI.
Paragraph l. Municipal corporations,
parishes and school, drainage, sub
drainage, road, subroad, navigation, or
sewerage districts, City of New Orleans
excepted, hereinafter referred TO as
subdivisions of the State, when au-
thorized by a vote of a majority, in
number and amount of the property
taxpayers, qualified to vote under the
Constitution and laws OF this state,
who vote at an election held for that
purpose. after due notice of said cleo
| tion has been published for thirty days
in the official journal or the munlclpal
corporation or parish or where there is
lished therein, may, through their re-
spective governing authorities incur
debt and issue negotiable bonds there
for. and each year while any bonds
thus issued are outstanding, the gov
erning authorities of such subdivisions
shall impose and collect annually, in
excess of all other taxes. tax suf-
ficient to pay the interest, annually or
semi-annually, and the principal fall
ing due each year, or such amount as
may be required for any sinking fund
necessary to retire said bonds at ma
turity: provided that such special taxes,
for all purposes as above set forth
shall not in any year exceed ten mills
on the dollar of assessed valuation of
the property in such subdivisions.
No bonds shall be issued for any
other purpose than that stated in the
submission of the proposition to the
taxpayer, and published for thirty 600
amount than therein mentioned; nor
shall such bonds be issued for any
other purposes than for constructing,
improving and maintaining public
roads and highways, paving and i'm
proving streets, roads and alleys, pur-
chasing and constructing systems of
waterworks. sewerage, drainage, nav1-
cation. lights, public parks and build
ings. together with all necessary
equipments and furnishing bridges and
other works of public Improvement, the
title to which shall rest in. the sub
division creating the debt, as the case
may be; nor shall such bonds run for
a longer period than forty (40) years
from their date or bear greater rate
per annum, or be sold for less than par.
The total issue of bonds by any sub
division for all purposes shall never
exceed ten per centum (Go) of the as
such subdivisions. Municipal councils
are granted the authority to create
within their limits one or more sewer
age districts.
p1 nh in
parish or parishes may in accordance
with law create drainage districts,
which in addition to the powers here
inabove granted, shall have further
power and authority to provide and
maintain drainage systems and the
governing authorities of such districts,
when authorized by majority in num-
Der and amount of the property tax
payers of said district qualified to vote
under the Constitution and laws, who
vote at an election held for that pur-
riod not exceeding forty years forced
contributions or acreage taxes not ex-
ceeding fifty cents per acre per year
on every acre of land in the subdivision
governing authority of such subdivision
when authorized as set forth, may in
cur debt and issue negotiable bonds to
represent same, secured by the taxes
above described provided that the total
amount of debts thus incurred or bonds
issued. shall never exceed in principal
and interest the aggregate amount to
be raised by said annual contributions
or acreage taxes during the period for
which the same are imposed and that
no such bonds shall be issued for any
other purpose than that for which said
contributions or acreage taxes were
voted. run for a longer period than
forty years. bear a greater rate of in
terest than five per centum per an
bond issues heretofore authorized by
taxpayers in any subdivision at any
election not contested on any ground
of fraud. are hereby recognized and
Paragraph 8. When the character of
any land is such that 1t must be leveed
and pumped in order to be drained
and reclaimed. the Board of Drainage
the land is situated. shall, upon the
petition of not less than a majority
In acreage OF the property taxpayers,
resident and nonresident. in the area
10 be affected. ascertain the cost of
drainage, and retaining said land and
incur debt against said land for an
amount sufficient to drain and reclaim
II, and issue for such debt negotiable
bonds running not longer than forty
l40) years from their date and bearing
interest at rate not exceeding five
per- per centum per annpm payable annu
shall not be sold for less than par; and
SAID Board OF Drainage Commissioners
shall levy annually upon said land
an amount. sufficient to maintain the
drainage Of said land. to pay the in
tereSt, annually or semi-annually and
the principal falling due each year, or
such amount as may be required for
any sinking fund provided for payment
or said bonds at maturity, provided,
that such forced contributions or acre
age taxes. for all purposes shall never
exceed Three Dollars and Fifty Cents
tS3.50) per acre per annum
Paragraph 4. The police juries of the
various parishes throughout the State,
Tor the purpose of constructing high
ways and public buildings for the par
ish. and the governing authorities of
municipal corporations, for the purpose
OF paving or improving streets or al
leys. and for all municipal improve
ments. after making provision for the
payment of all statutory and ordinary
charges. may fund into bonds running
for period not exceeding ten (1O)
years. and bearing interest at a rate not
exceeding five go per centum per an
num- which bonds shall not be sold
for less than par, the avails of the
residue of the ten (10) mill tax au-
thorized by Article 232 Of the Constitu-
Paragraph 5. Should any Of the sub
divisions of the State neglect or fail
for any reason to impose or collect the
taxes provided for in the foregoing
sections. any person in interest may by
court having jurisdiction. enforce the
imposition or collection Of such taxes.
or both. and such proceedings shall
be filed and triable free to any cost to
the litigant
Paragraph 6. Municipal corporations,
drainage, road. subroad. navigation and
sewerage districts (the City of New
Orleans excepted), hereinafter referred
to as subdivisions. when authorized to