The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-08-31

y
travelling expenses, not exceeding a
maximum amount to be fixed from
time to time by the General Assem-
bly,, an itemized account Of which
shall be rendered in an annual re-
port.
5. The chairman of the first Com
mission shall be named by the ap-
pointing Board and serve until the
expiration of his term of office, and
thereafter the Commission shall Sc
lect it's own chairman.
6. The Commission and the indivld-
ual members thereof shall perform
such duties in respect to assessment
and taxation as are herein preScrib-
ed, and such other and further du-
ties as the General Assembly may
from time to time prescribe.
Z. The General Assembly shall pro-
vide said Commission with an ade-
Quate clerical force.
s. The Commission shall have pow
er to adopt and enforce such reason
able rules, regulations and modes
OF procedure, not inconsistent with
law, as it may deem proper for the
discharge of its duties, and to hear
and determine complaints that may be
made against assessments, and other
of it's acts, required or authorized by
law.
8. The Commission shall have pow
er to summon and compel the at
tendance of witnesses, to swear wit
nesSes, and to compel the production
Of books and papers, to take testimo-
ny under commission, and to punish
for contempt, as fully as is provided
by law for the district courts. The
General Assembly may provide 9TH
er penalties for violating the orders
of the Commission.
10. If any person, firm, association
or corporation shall be dissatisfied
with the assessment made or action
taken by the Commission, such party
may file a petition setting forth the
cause of objection to such assessment
or action of the Commission Or to
either or both in Court of compe-
tent jurisdiction, at the dOmicile OF
the Commission, against said Com
mission as defendant. Either party
may appeal to the Supreme Court of
the State without regard to the
amount involved; such appeals to be
returnable within ten days after the
date that the decision of the lower
Court becomes final. All such cases,
both in the trial and appellate court,
shall be tried summarily and by pre-
ference over all other cases. Such
cases may be tried in the court OF
the first instance either in chambers
or at term time.
II. No bond shall be required of
said Commission in any case in any
court, nor shall advance costs or Sc
curity for costs, be required of it.
u. 1t shall be the duty of the At
torney General, and the various dis
trict attorneys, on proper request or
direction by the Commission or the
Governor, to aid the said Commission
in all legal matters, and to prosecute
and defend all cases in accordance
with such requests and directions. A
failure on the part of such law Off
GERS, when so requested or direct
ed to perform the duties here I'M
posed upon them, shall constitute mis-
feasance in office.
Article VI.
l. After January 1st, 1914, all as
sessments for all State purposes, ex-
cept as hereinafter provided, shall
be completed on or before April 1st
in each year, and the taxes shall be-
come due and payable on the first
Monday in June of each year, and
shall become delinquent on the first
Monday in September in each year.
Each parish and municipality shall
have the right to fix the date for
the completion of it's local assess
ments, and the payment of its local
taxes and licenses general and spec
ial, until otherwise prescribed by the
General Assembly. Until otherwise
provided, existing laws on these sub
jects shall be operative. Levee dis
trict taxes and forced contributions,
exclusive of produce taxes, shall be
assessed and become delinquent CO
Incidentally with parish taxes,
2. Public service corporations shall
be assessed on their physical proper
ty and on their franchises separately,
but the General Assembly shall have
power to direct the Tax Commission
to assess the property Of such COrpO-
ratiOns at a valuation including both
physical property and franchises, to
be determined by gross receipts, or
by dividends on stocks and interest
paid on bonded debt, or by any other
available method
3. Incorporated banks shall be as
sessed by assessing the stockholders
Oh the book value of the stock, i. E.,
capital stock, surplus and undivided
profits less the assessed value of real
estate locally assessed and taxed,
and less such further deductions of
not less than five per cent on their
loans and discounts to cover bad
debts and unearned interest as the
General Assembly may prescribe,
which deduction shall be made only
from their surplus and undivided pro-
fits; all taxes to be paid by the
banks and charged to the stockhold-
ers,
4. Individual bankers, banking firms
and uninCOrpOrated banking aSSOcia-