The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1912-10-17
ACT NO. -.

House Bill No. 2. By Mr.. Roberts.
JOINT RESOLUTION
Submitting to the people of Louisi-
ana an amendment to the Con-
stitution recognizing and re-
modelling the States system Of
assessment and taxation.
Section I. Be it resolved by the
General Assembly of the State of
louisiana, twO-thirds of all the msm.
bers elected to each House concur.
ring, That the following amendment
to the Constitution of the State of
Louisiana be and the same is hereby
submitted to the qualified electors
Of the State at the Congressional
election to be held on the first Tues
day after the first Monday in the
month of November, in the year 1912,
to-wit:
Article |.
l. The taxing power shall be exer-
cised by the State and by its sub
divisions for public purposes only.
2. The taxing power shall never be
surrendered, suspended, given. COM
muted or contracted away; but where
parishes or municipal corporations
shall grant exemptions from parish
or municipal taxes for a period not
to exceed ten years from date of
| completion to encourage the eStab'
lishment of industrial enterprises, OF
a similar exemption to immigrants
of the value added by them to vacant
property owned and occupied as a
homestead, such exemptions shall not
be withdrawn either as to enter
prises established or substantially be-
gun in good faith, or as to immigrants
who have actually acquired and i'm
proved or in good faith begun to i'm
prove their homesteads, since the
granting of the exemption. The Gen
| eral Assembly on behalf of the State
and the governing authorities of al
subdivisions Of the State on behalf
of such subdivision, may defer fol
! not more than three years the col
lection of taxes in localities subject
ed to overflow or other public ca
lamity.
3. The General Assembly shall hav'
power to classify all property for tax
alton, and to adopt different rule,
and rates for different classes, bu
such rules and rates shall be equa
and uniform on all subjects Of tn
same class throughout the territoria
limits of the authority levying tn
tax. All such classificattons shall b.
based on the characteristics Of tn
property itself or its use, and new
er on persons or ownership.
1. Except in case Of foreign inva
sion or domestic revolution, the Ger
eral Assembly shall not have powe
to levy any ad valorem property Ia,
in excess Of four per cent: but tn
General Assembly shall not excee'
the rate Of two and one-half per cen,
except by vote of two-thirds OF al
the members elected to each hous
thereof.
Article II.
| l. The sources Of State and loca
revenue shall be segregated and, ex
cept as hereinafter specified, or a.
may be hereafter permitted by ,
vote of two-thirds of all the member
elected to each House of the Gener
al Assembly, each taxing authorit!
shall be restricted in taxation to it,
own sources of revenue as hereif
assigned.
2. Until otherwise provided by ;
vote of two-thirds of all of the mem
bers elected to, each House of the
General Assembly, the following
shall be the sources of State reve
nue.:
1st. The special taxes hereinafter
provided for.
End. All corporations, private per
sons and unincorporated associations
that operate any railroad falling un
der the jurisdiction of the Railroad
Commission of Louisiana; street rail
road; combined street railroad and
electric light and power business;
heating or refrigeration plant, (not
inclusive of cold storage plant: tel
ephone line; telegraph line, wheth.
er wireless or otherwise; express
line, dining car, sleeping car, Oil car,
refrigerating car, or cars for any
other purpose operating upon rail.
roads in this state; steamboat, mot.
or boat, steamship, ferry, barge and
tug, or other water craft, where 0p'
Grated for hire. canal for transporta-
ton 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
railroad business for purposes Of as.
sessment then such severance shall
be made by the Tax Commission and
such electric light and power business
shall not be a source Of State reve-
nue..
Bird. All banks. State and Nation.
al, 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 bankers shall
BE- locally assessed and taxed. The
assessments Of the real estate of