Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-10-25


vided by the general election laws OF
the State, whether ne votes for or
against the proposed amendment.
THOMAS c. BARRETT,
Lieutenant Governor and President
Vi 'ne ~ L. e. THOMAS.
Speaker of the House OF Represen-
Approved: August gath. 1912
L. e. HALL.
Governor of the State of Louisiana
~ ALVIN e. HEBERT.
Secretary Of State.
ACT No ~.
House Bill No. 2 BY Mr.. Roberts.
Joint resolution submitting TO the peo-
pie Of Louisiana an amendment 10 the
Constitution recognizing and remodeling
the States system OF assessment ana LAX
alton.
Section 1. Be II resolved by the Cen
eraI Assembly Of the State of Louisiana.
two-thirds Of all the members elected
to each House concurring. That the fol-
lowing amendment to the Constitution OF
the State OF Louisiana be and the same
Is hereby submitted to the qualified cleo
election to be held on the first Tuesday
after the first Monday In the month OF
November, in the year 1912, to-wit:
!, The taxing e't bower !: shah be exer-
cised by the State and by It's subdivts-
Ions for public purposes only.
3 The taxing power shall never be
ted or contracted away: but where par
ishes or municipal corporations shall
grant exemptions from parish or NUM-
cipal taxes fer period not 10 exceed ten
years from date of completion to en-
/ courage the establishment of industrial
enterprises, or a similar exemption TO I'M
migrants Of the value added by them to
vacant property owned and occupied as
/ hav = shall
withdrawn either as TO enterprises es-
/ tahlished or substantially begun In good
faith. or TO immigrants who have actu-
ally acquired and improved or In good
faith begun to improve their homesteads
since the granting of the exemption. The
/ General Assembly on behalf OF the state,
and the governing authorities OF al SUD-
divisions OF the state on behalf Of such
subdivision, may defer for not more than
three years the collection Of taxes In To-
calities subjected to overflow or other
3. The General Assembly shall have
power to classify all property for taxa
/ ton and to adopt different rules and
rates for different classes, but such rules
and rates shall be equal and uniform on
all subjects of the same class throughout
the territorial limits of the authority
levying the tax. All such classifications
shall be based on the characteristics OF
on persons or ownership
4. Except in case of foreign invasion
or domestic revolution, the General As
sembly shall not have power to levy
any ad valorem property tax in EXCESS OF
four per cent: but the General Assembly
| shall not exceed the rate of two and one
| half per cent except by a vote Of two
| thirds OF all the members elected to each
house thereof.
1. The sources Of State and local rev.
enue shall be segregated and, except as
hereinafter specified, or as may be here
| after permitted by a vote of thirds
| Of all the members elected to each House
Of the General Assembly. each taxing
to its own sources OF revenue as herein
4 Until otherwise provided by vote
| Of tvo-thirds of all the members elected
70 each House Of the General Assembly.
the following shall be the sources of
LIST The special taxes hereinafter pro-
ind. An corporations, private persons
and unincorporated associations that OPP
crate any railroad falling under the juris-
diction Of the Railroad Commission Of
street railroad and electric light and
power business; heating OF refrigeration
plant (not inclusive Of cold storage
piant): telephone line; telegraph line,
whether wireless or otherwise; express
line dining car, sleeping car. of car. re-
frigerating car. OF cars for any other pur-
pose operating upon railroads In this
ferry, barge. and tug. or other water
craft where operated for hire, canal for
trar sportation or irrigation, and pipe line
for OIL or gas. When the electric light
and power business conducted in con-
junction with any street railroad can be
practically severed from the street rail-
road business for purposes OF assessment
the Tar Commission and such electric
light and power business shall not be q
source OF State revenue.
Srd. All banks, state and Nstlonal
including savings banks, trust banks and
trust companies. and all private bankers,
whether individuals or partnerships, save
that the real estate OF all banks and
taxed. The assessments Of the real
estate Of banks and bankers shah be
eduaiized annually by the Tax Commits
sion TO the basis established and In vogue
in each locality where such real estate
is located.
4th. All insurance companies includ-
ing bonding and surety companies, for
etgn or domestic. and all persons and
partnerships engaged in insuring persons
or property, save that all the real estate
and corporal property Of such companies
persons or partnerships shall be locally
assessed and taxed
cotton seed oil mills. cotton seed oil re-
nneries and refineries OF petroleum and
its products. A sugar refinery Is hereby
defined to be . concern that buys and re-
fines raw sugar exclusively, or a concern
that buys and refnes more raw sugar
than the aggregate OF the sugar produced
by II from cane grown and purchased by
II.
sth. An mines Of sulphur, salt or other
minerals all oil OF gas wells. all stone
quarries. sand. gravel and she'll pits.
g. Only the operative property Of State
sources Of revenue shall be segregated to
the State. The General Assembly shall
define In q manner not inconsistent with
any provisions OF this amendment. what
the operative property Of each such
source is Real estate and the improve
ments thereon forming part Of any rail-
road terminal, depot or yard or ware
house or shop, acquired after July 1
1919, even though II may form part OF
the operative property OF any railroad
shall not be considered a source Of State
revenue except by constitutional amend
ment. unless such property had been
prior TO said date. part OF railroad ter
ninsl. depot. yard. warehouse or shop.
4 AL other property subject TO taxa
ton. except as herein specified. or except
as may hereafter be directed By Q vote
OF two-thirds Of all the members elected
TO each house Of the General Assembly
shall be sources Of local taxation.
Article 90.
The General Assembly shall have power