The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-08-17
DoNALDsoNVILLE LA, SATURDAY, AUGUST Il 1912,
TAX COMMISSIONS REPORT.
Summary of The Proposed Plan Of
Tax and Assessment Reform
Segregation Of State from Local
Taxation the Leading Principle,

Tax and Assessment VI Reform
Segregation OF State from Loca
Taxation the Leading Principle.
The staff correspondent Of Tho
New Orleans Times-Democrat at Ba
ton Rouge sent to that paper under
date of August 12 the following in
teresting account ofSthe completion
lof the tax eommissinn's labors and
the gist of the report submitted by
that body to the general assembly:
4 The report of the tax commission.
| With several constitutional amena
menE proposing to Teorganize az
remodel the fiscal system of Thy
state, was transmitted to the general
assembly late tonight in "a special
message from the governor. The
/ legislature convened at noon in spe-
cial session to receive the report
and undertake the passage Of the
proposed amendments, and then adj
| journed until tonightsto permit the
commission to complete its 3labors.
At 7:4O o'clock, at#the end Of a
five-hours session, the commission
whipped into shape the last Of a Sc
ries of amendments and adopted as
a report summary of its work and
recommendations, prepared. by Chair
man Edgar III. FarraE, Upon receiv-
| ing the report, the goTernor prepared
a special message communicating it
and sent it to both houses. The
proposed constitutional amendments
were read in full and deferred to COM
/ J5Y,s str,s
| the calendar.
| In making its report, the commits
sion reserved the right to make cor
rections and, If desired, to revise.
further the amendments and subject
| matter transmitted. i adjourned, af-
ter adopting the report, until 10
o'clock tomorrow morning, when it
will undertake to check over what it
has done and see THAI ever ything is
as intended. Among dther things, it
must prepare and adaat an address
10 the voters of I.sodisiana in ex-
planation apd adyog Of its recon-
mendations.
Report y tf flous.
In its. report, theb mission was
unanimous. Wideasss aasease OF ppin
ion as to matter "a and prill-
eiples existed ols c : Ysss asssa-
siesre sss
weeks session, palt Il com
promised or settled by argument
and investigation, and Il \ its final
form, the recommend atiens received
the unreserVed suppYt d the entire
body.
Of the segen constitut utidnal a8lend
ments submitted, one carried the en-
tire tax reform scheme and the bal |
ance merely propose exemptions fromi
taxation in addition to those already I
granted in the constitution Various
economic reasons are urged in be-
half Of these exemptions, but ohjec-
ton has been raised to nearly all /
Of them and it was thought best to
permit the people to vote on each /
separately.
The Exemption Amendments.
All were considered at this after
Moons session, the main amendment
being completed in the long. session
which lasted from 8 O'Clock Sunday
night until 2:30 o'clock Monday morn
ing. These amendments briefly pro-
pose:
. To exempt from taxation for ten
years after completion, provided COM
plete by Jan. /, 1918, the Wellman
Bradford project to build an irriga-
ton and navigation canal from the
Red river, near Natchitoehes, to the
Teche, the Mermenteau and the in
canal at Lake Charles.
The exemptions cover capital stock,
and property necessarily
connected with and appurtenant to
the proposed canal system, but no
other property. The right of the
state to regulate diversion of its
public waters from their natural beds
IS expressly reserved.
To grant parishes and municipal-
tiles right to exempt from tef5esl
years s.z1ation, by a tWo-thirds Voae3
Of tax payers and electors, new in
1ustrial enterprises.
That the police jury of each par
sh shall have the right to call, and.
IN petition Of one-fourth of the vot-
ars thereof, shall call, a special cleo
ion, at which qualified electors shall
vote on the question of exempting
my or all of the municipalities with
ii the parish from parocl1ial taxa
ion II return for exemption the
is required TO bear It's
portion Of the expenses of parish
government ii which it benefits Elk
enption having been granted, it may
1e abolished BY the same elective
Methods,