The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-08-23
Hears Report of Tax Commit
sion And Immediately Begins
Work on it.
WORK OUTLINED BY FARRAR
Report Of Commission Is Long but
Covers Field Thoroughiy-6s-
timated Income.

Western Newspaper mon Ne"S oti'"'
Baton Rouge.-The Legislature has
net in special session at the caH OIL
Gov. Hall. The Tax Commission
submitted its report and both branch
es began the consideration OF II.
The report Of the commission was
long but covered the field thoroughly
The main idea OF the commission De
ing to avoid any confusion with the
old method of taxing, to allow every .
community as much power OF nome
rule as possible and 10 make every
thing bear its just burden.
The legislature after receiving the |
report of the commission divided the |
work up among committees. Public
hearings were began and many ap'
peared to protest or ask some amend
ment or other. Several amendments
have already been offered by mem
bers of certain districts asking mat
certain things be taken from the llsl
of the states taxable resources.
Several cities have protested 'he
taking of the street railways from the
cities claiming that this would work
an Injustice to the cities by them los
| ing one OF the main sources OF rev
! enue.
For the benefit of those who hao
not read the commission report 10
the legislature, Mr.. Farrar gave
short review of the commissions Worh.
His review follows:
The five cardinal principles which
have guided the commission are:
First-The separation of the sources
of state revenue from the sources OF
local revenue.
Second-The giving of the local gov
eminent as large a measure OF home
rule in matters of assessment and TAX
alton as possible,
Third-To give to the proposed sys-
TEN as much flexibility as posslole'
Fourth-To fit the new system OH
10 the old without injustice, friction
| or loss OF mOtloH.
We believe that we have success
fully carried out the first principle
without detriment to any locality or
to any interest. We have recommend
ed that, as sources of state revenue
the state should take for the present
Cal certain new special taxes; (b) al!
public service corporations except gas
water and electrict light and power
, concerns, public warehouses and cot
:, ton presses; (c) the banking, the IN
surance and the sugar refinery Dusl
ness; (d) all the natural resources O.
: the state except the lumber business
, which is left subject to the small IL
cense tax provided by the constitution
, al amendment of 1910: (e) and licens
:. es and business and occupations ina
4 fall strictly within the domain o
q the public power. The state gives VI
I her license system on everything fal
ing outside of the strict limits OF tn
d police power, and allows the local GOV
Q eminent to have, equally with bel
/. the power to levy licenses on all sui
o jects within the strict limits OF tn
% police power, and the exclusive rlgn
D, to levy, subject to certain restrictions
d licenses on all businesses and occl
pations, not including, however, thos
a. that fall among the sources OF stat
n revenue. The special taxes provide
r for are not new. They are in vogu
ID in many states in the Union. The
in are: First, stock transfer tax; Sc
70 ond. a corporation organization tax
IN third, corporation franchise tax, NJ
le including public service corporations
fourth, a tax on automobiles and sim
az lar vehicles for the benefit OF the goo
~ roads fund; fifth, tax on cotto
p grain, sugar and coffee future co
lr tracts in lieu tf all licenses and sixt
IL a true, progressive inheritance ia
e. with limitations in accordance wit
cd the practice of older countries TIL
Ok levy such taxes and have levied the
for years.
A careful estimate Of what sun
the state will get in 1914 from the'
:. sources of revenue has been made
~ our night and day working comm
~ tee: ON budget and statistics and a
proved by the commission. A print
}, table of this estimate accompani
he and is attached to this report
no shows an estimated revenue for tn
90 year of $5,350,OO0. The committee h
II also. compiled a table of the probat
I'D needs, of the state in that year in
de- der to supply the sums she Is
r.. ouired in amendments to the cons
tuition, how pending before the Poop
ne TO provide for the Confederate. v
erans,; for the payment and REDEEM
,et ton of the public debt and to ma
,ly provision for large increase IN It
m. public school fund and for compe
sating parishes and municipalitl
"a | h;nh ,,,;1r Ios, reyenue nv the oDe