Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-10-18

Constitution OF the State CT Louisiana
exempting from taxation the legal re-
serve OF life insurance companies or.
ganized under the laws of this State,
And each elector shall indicate as pro-
vided by the general election laws OF
the State whether ne votes for or
against the proposed amendment
THOMAS c. BARRET,
Lieutenant Governor and President
L. y. THOMAS.
Speaker OF the House OF Represen-
Approved: August gath. 1912
l.. r. HALL.
Governor of the State of Louisiana
q ALVIN e. HEBERT.
Secretary of State
ACT No ~.
House Bill No. 2. BY Mr.. Roberts
Joint resolution submitting to the PEG
ple OF Louisiana an amendment to the
Constitution recognising and remodelinE
the States system of assessment and tax
alton.
Section /. Be 1t resolved by the Gen
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
tors Of the State at the Congressional
election to be held on the first Tuesday
after the first Monday IN the month o.
November, in the year 1912, to-wit:
Article !.
The taxing power shall be exer-
cised by the State and by Its subdivis-
ions for public purposes only.
O. The taxing power shall never b
surrendered, suspended, given, commu.
ishes OF municipal corporations shall
grant exemptions from parish or NUM-
cipal taxes fer period not to exceed ter
years from date OF completion TO en-
enterprises. or a similar exemption to I'M
migrants Ct the value added by them e
vacant property owned and OCCUPIED as
homestead, such exemptions shall not %
withdrawn either as to enterprises es
tablished or substantially begun In gooS
faith, or to immigrants who have actu
ally ACQUIRED and improved or In gooS
faith begun to improve their homesteads
since the granting of the exemption TIT
General Assembly on behalf of the State
and the governing authorities OF all sub
divisions OF the state on behalf Of suci
subdivision, may defer for not more thai
three years the collection Of taxes In 10
calities subjected to overflow or othe
public calamity.
3. The General Assembly shall hav
power to classify all property for taxa
ton, and TO adopt different rules an
rates for different classes. but such rule
and rates shall be equal and uniform OF
all subjects Of the same class Throughout
the territorial limits of the authorit,
levying the tax. All such classification
shall be based on the characteristics o
the property itself or its use. and neve
on persons or ownership.
4. Except in case of foreign invasion
or domestic revolution, the General As
sembly shall not have power TO lev
any ad vaIorem property tax in excess 0
four per cent; but the General Assembl
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 eac
''o~'o Article n.
L The sources of State and local rev
enue shall be segregated and, except a
hereinafter specified, or as may be here
after permitted by a vote Of two-third
OF all the members elected to each Hous
Of the General Assembly, each taxin
authority shall be restricted In taxatio
to its own sources OF revenue as herei
assigned.
Until otherwise provided by a vot
Of two-thirds Of all the members electe
n each House OF the General Assembly
the following shall be the sources Q
LIST. The special taxes hereinafter pro
ind. An corporations. private person
and unincorporated associations that op
crate any railroad falling under the juris
| I,o,Iisiana: street railroad; combine
street railroad and electric light an
power business; heating or refrigeratio
plant (not inclusive Of cold storag
piant): telephone line; telegraph linz
whether wireless or otherwise: expires
| line. dining car, sleeping car, oil car, re
| frigerating car. or cars for any other pui
pose operating upon railroads In thi
state; steamboat. motor boat, STEAMSHIP
ferry. barge. and tug. or other waite
craft. where operated for hire, canal fe
fra -rortation or irrigation. and pipe lin
| for oil or gas. When the electric ligf
and power business conducted In cor
practically severed from the street raj
road business for purposes OF assessmer
then such severance shall be mace 2
the Tax Commission and such electri
.o sns s1 ~ gst. rsTsnne nA not
/ Ard All banks, State and Nationa
Including savings banks, trust banks an
| trust Companies. and all private banker
whether individuals or partnersnips. say
bankers shall be locally assessed an
taxed. The assessments of the RET
estate OF banks and bankers snail
equalized annually by the Tax Commls
sion to the basis established and in vogu
in each locality where such real estai
Is located.
9TH. All Insurance companies incluc
ing bonding and surety companies. fol-
eign or domestic. and all persons an
partnerships engaged IN insuring person
/ or property, save that all the real esta'
and corporeal property OF such companie
persons or partnerships shall be local
assessed and taxed. -.
| 5th. All sugar rehneries. rice mill
cotton seed oil mills. cotton seed oil r,
/ hnerfes and refineries OF petroleum an
its products A sugar refinery Is heren
| defined to be q concern that buys and n
/ fines raw sugar exclusively. OF conceF
! that buys and rehnes more raw suge
| than the aggregate OF the sugar produce
by II from cane grown and purchased ,
/ II
9Th All mines Of sulphur. salt OF oth'
minerals, ali of or gas wells. all stor
quarries. sand. gravel and shell pits.
g. Only the operative property Of Stat
! sources Of revenue shall be segregated
the State. The General Assembly sha
/ define. in a manner not Inconsistent wit
any provisions OF this amendment. whs
the operative property OF each sue
source is Real estate and the Improve
ments thereon forming part Of any raj
road terminal. depot OF yard or wars
house or shop, acquired after July
4 1918. even though Il may form part
the operative property OF any raiiroai
/ shall not be considered a source Of Sta
revenue except by constitutional amend
prior 10 said date. part Of railroad tel
| ninal. depot. yard, warehouse OF shop.
4. All other property subject 70 taxi
! ton. except as herein srectded. OF excel
as may hereafter he directed by vol
| Of two-thirds Of all the members e'ecte
To each house OF the General Assembi
shall be sources 81 local taxation.
Article ~.
The General Assembly shall have pow
70 levy for STATE purposes the toi'owir
| special taxsss