New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-10-05
THE ENTERPRISE AND
o bserver. Consolidated
Official Journal of Iberia Parish.
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subscription 1I.5O Per Annum
THE TAX AMENDMENT.
BY Percy Saint.

CuhCI bHC bCSlVSotioI Bi"l vi
the proposed Tax Amendment, all
the parishes but three will be the
gamer; but as the deficit of these
parishes is to be made good from
the general state fund by the Tax
Commission, it can be said that
every subdivision of the State
will be benefited by the passage
of the amendment.
In arriving at the benefits to
the different parishes from the
segregation plan. the trainers of
the proposed amendment evident
ly used the assessments and tax
alton of the years 1910 and 1911 !;
using the different years to reach
the result for the different par
ishes. However that may be, TIE
result was an evident benefit to
the different parishes. For III
stance, it is shown that the par
ish of st. Landry would be bene-
fitted to the extent Of lin round
numbers) $4,000. Under the
new scheme Of local self govern
ment in the way Of taxation, ST..
Landry will have an additional
amount of money for her roads
and schools. without imposing an,
further burdens on the tax pay
ers, or, she could reduce the as
sessments il it was found that
thea additional revenue was not
needed.
In other words, every parish
Except three), would gain to
the extent Of six mills on the as
sessed value Of the taxable prop
| erty segregated to the taxing par
| ish taxing power. And it is safe
to say, that if any parish in hhe
state needed additional revenue,
an increased assessment would
not be SO much objected to, when
it was known that the raise was
for the parish alone, and not for
both parish and state.
Another feature Of segregation
which ought to appeal to the tax
payer is this: As property nat
rrally increases in value more in
one parish than it would in
another, or could decrease in the
same way, the local power and
authority to increase or raise as
sessments a. conditions may re
quire. will be a welcome boon to
the tax payer.
Let us take the parish Of St
Mary as another example. There
is now outstanding, certificates OF
Indebtedness for the Court House
which are being met promptly a.
each maturity; there is deep
channel Indebtedness which will
soon be paid, and the require.
ments of the parish government
will grow less each year; after
all, or az any of these debts de
crease or, are paid, the taxabl,
resources Of the parishes necessar
| lily increase. linden the local self
government plan which comes
with segregation, St. Mary viii
be in a position to lower her as
sessment If the revenue is no'
needed. Or she can raise it with
out additional burdens if the rev
enue is needed for schools, road
or any other necessity without tn
consent of the state and withou
giving the stete any benefit o
any raise, or depriving it Of an.
Reduction.
| So, the satisfaction and conven
ience OF self government featur
Of the proposed amendment, /
worth slight additional cost in
stead of the greatest additiona
gain to be had. This featur
alone should recommend the pas
sage Of the proposed amendmen
to the tax payer. Lack Of spac
prevents the giving in detail o
the many benefits to come fror
segregation.