The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1912-09-12
ACT NO. IL.

ACT NO. II.
House Bill No. 2. By Mr.. Roberts /
JOINT RESOLUTION L
to the people of Louisi-
ana an amendment to the Con- ,
stitution recognizing and re- !
modelling the States system of
assessment and taxation.
Section 1. Be it resolved by the
General Assembly of the State of
louisiana, two-thirds of all the msln-
bers elected to each House concur
ring, That the following amendment
to the Constitution of the State of
Louisiana be and the same is hereby
submitted to the qualified electors
of the State at the Congressional
election to be held on the first Tues.
day after the first Monday in the
month of November, in the year 1912,
towit:
Article I.
l. The taxing power shall be exer-
cised by the State and by its sub
divisions for public purposes only.
2. The taxing power shall never be
surrendered, suspended, given, COM
muted or contracted away; but where
parishes or municipal corporations
shall grant exemptions from parish
or municipal taxes for a period not
to exceed ten years from date of
completion to encourage the estab-
lishment of industrial enterprises, or
a similar exemption to immigrants
of the value added by them to vacant
property owned and occupied as a
homestead, such exemptions shall not
be withdrawn either as to enter
prises established or substantially be.
gun in good faith, or as to Immigrants
who have actually acquired and i'm
proved or in good faith begun to i'm.
prove their homesteads, since the
granting of the exemption. The Gen.
eral Assembly on behalf of the State.
and the governing authorities of all
subdivisions Of the State on behalf
of such subdivision, may defer tol
not more than three years the col
lection Of taxes In localities subject
ed to overflow or other public ca
lamity.
3. The General Assembly shall hav'
power to classify all property for tax
alton, and to adopt different rule'
and rates for different classes, bu
such rules and rates shall be equa
and unborn on all subjects .of tn,
same class throughout the territoria
limits of the authority levying tn
tar. All such classifications shall b.
based on the characteristics Of th,
property itself or It's use, and new
er on persons or ownership.
4. Except in case Of foreign -inva
sion or domestic revolution, the Ger
eral Assembly shall not have powe
to levy any I'D valorem property Ia
in excess Of four per cent; but tn
General Assembly shall not excee
the rate Of two and one-half per CEN
except by a vote of two-thirds of al
the members elected to each hous
thereof.
Article II.
/. The sources OF State and loca
revenue shall be segregated and, 81
cept as hereinafter specified, or q
may be hereafter permitted by
.. vote of twothirds Of all the member
elected to each House Of the Genel
al Assembly, each taxing authorit
shall be restricted in taxation to it
own sources of revenue as herei
assigned.
2. Until otherwise provided by
vote of two-thirds of all of the mem
bers elected to each House of tn
General Assembly, the followin.
shall be the sources of State reve
nue.:
LIST. The special taxes hereinafte
provided for.
| End. All corporations, private per
sons and unincorporated association
that operate any railroad falling un
der the jurisdiction of the Railroad
Commission of Louisiana; street rail
road; combined street railroad an,
electric light and power business
heating or refrigeration plant. (no
inclusive Of cold storage plant; tel
ephone line; telegraph line, wheth
Ter wireless or otherwise; express
line. dining car. sleeping car. oil car
refrigerating car, or cars for any
other purpose operating upon rail
roads in this state; steamboat, mot
or boat, steamship, ferry, barge ant
tug, or other water craft, where op
Grated for hire, canal for transporta
ton or irrigation, and pipe line fol
Ioil or gas. When the electric Ugh,
and power business conducted in con
junction with any street railroad car
be practically severed from the street
railroad business for purposes Of as
sessment then such severance shall
be made by the Tax Commission ant
such electric light and power business
shall not be a source Of State reve
nue..
! 3rd. All banks. State and Nation
al. including savings banks, trus,
banks and trust companies, and al
private bankers, whether individual.
or partnerships, save that the rea
estate of all banks and bankers shall