The herald., 1912-09-19

| and issuing bonds Tor work or pup
lie Improvement. and to the valida-
| tion. and refunding of bonds issued
for such improvements, by munich
pal corporations, parish and school
| drainage, sewerage and other dis
| tricts (the City of New Orlean
GXcepted), and the assessment OF
| special taxes and forced contribu-
| items to pay for same.
| Section l. Be it resolved by the Gen
eral Assembly of the State of Louisiana,
ltwo-thirds (2-3 of all the members
elected to each House, concurring. That
Article two hundred and eighty-one
I(2SD Of the Constitution of the State
of Louisiana be so amended as to read
las follows:
ARTICLE 2S1.
Paragraph l. Municipal corporations,
| parishes and school, drainage, sub
drainage. road, subroad, navigation, or
Sewerage districts, City of New Orleans
Excepted. hereinafter referred TO as
Subdivisions of the State. when au-
Ithorized by a vote of majority, in
number and amount of the property
Taxpayers, qualified to vote under the
CONSTITUTION and laws of this State,
who vote at an election he for that
purpose, after due notice OF said cleo
ton has been published for thirty days
in the official journal Of the municipal
corporation or parish or where there Is
no official journal, in a newspaper pub
lished therein, may, through their re-
lspective governing authorities incur
debt and issue negotiable bonds there
| for, and each year while any bonds
| thus issued are outstanding, the gov
erning authorities of such subdivisions
! shall impose and collect annually, in
| excess of all other taxes, tax SUI
| ficient to pay the interest, annually or
| semi-annually, and the principal fall
| ing due each year, or such amount as
] may be required for any sinking fund
| necessary to retire said bonds at ma
| turity: provided that such special taxes,
| above
\ shall not in any year exceed ten mills
on the dollar of assessed valuation of
the property in such subdivisions
| No bonds shall be issued for any
other purpose than that stated in the
\ submission of the proposition to the
| taxpayer, and published for thirty 600
amount than therein mentioned: nor
shall such bonds be issued for any
| other purposes than for constructing,
improving and maintaining public
| roads and highways, paving and i'm
proving streets. roads and alleys, pur-
chasing and constructing systems of
waterworks. sewerage, drainage, navl-
cation, lights, public parks and build
| ings, together with all necessary
| equipments and furnishing bridges and
other works of public improvement, the
| title to which shall rest in the sub
division creating the debt. as the case
| may be: nor shall such bonds run for
a longer period than forty (4O) years
| from their date or bear a greater rate
| per annum, or be sold for less than par.
| The total issue of bonds by any SUBJ
division for all purposes shall never
exceed ten per centum COO OF the as
such subdivisions Municipal councils
are granted the authority to create
| within their limits one or more sewer
age districts.
Paragraph 2. Police juries in any
parish or parishes may in accordance
with law create drainage districts,
| which in addition to the powers here
power and authority to provide and
| maintain drainage systems and the
governing authorities of such districts,
Der and amount of the property tax
payers Of said district qualified to vote
under the Constitution and laws, who
vote at an election held for that pur-
pose, may impose and collect for a Pc
Rod not exceeding forty years forced
contributions or acreage taxes not ex-
ceeding fifty cents per acre per year
| on every acre of land in the subdivision
where such an election is held The
governing authority Of such subdivision
when authorized as set forth, may in
cur debt and issue negotiable bonds to
represent same, secured by the taxes
ABOVE described provided that the total
amount of debts thus incurred or bonds
issued shall never exceed in principal
ana interest the aggregate amount to
be raised by said annual contributions
or acreage taxes during the period for
winch the same are imposed and that
no such bonds shall be issued for anv
other purpose than that for which said
contributions or acreage taxes were
voted. run for a longer period than
forty years. bear greater rate of in
terest than five per centum per an
mum or be sold for less than par. All
bond issues heretofore authorized by
taxpayers in any subdivision at any
eIectlon not contested on any ground
validated.
Paragraph 8. When the character of
any land is such that it must be leveed
and reclaimed. the Board of Drainage
commissioners Of the District in which
the land is situated, shall, upon the
petltlon OF not less than a majority
resident and nonresident, in the area
10 be affected. ascertain the cost of
drainage. and retaining said land and
amount sufficient to drain and rec,ai an an
II. and issue for such debt negotiable
ponus running not longer than forty
Sfol years from their date and bearing
interest at rate not exceeding five
per centum per annum payable annu-
any or semi-annually, which bonds
snail not be sold for less than par: and
shall levy annually upon said land
forced contributions or acreage taxes in
an amount sufficient to maintain the
taraS, OF said land. to pay the in
4 ".
the principal falling due each year, or
such amount as may be required for
any sinking fund provided for payment
OF said bonds at maturity, provided
that such forced contributions or acre
age taxes, Tor all purposes shall never
exceed Three Dollars and Fifty Cents
(S3.5O) per acre per annum
Paragraph 4. The police juries of the
various parishes throughout the State,
Tor the purpose of constructing high
ways and public buildings for the par
lsh. and the governing authorities of
municipal corporations, for the purpose
or paving or improving streets or al
leys. and for all municipal Improve
ments. after making provision for the
payment OF all statutory and ordinary
charges, may fund into bonds running
Tor period not exceeding ten (1O)
years. and bearing interest at a rate NOT
exceeding five 90 per centum per an
num- which bonds shall not be sold
Tor less than par. the avails of the
residue of the ten (1O) mill tax au-
thorized by Article 232 Of the Constitu-
ton of Louisiana.
Paragraph s. Should any of the SUBJ
divisions of the State neglect or fail |
for any reason to impose or collect the |
taxes provided for in the foregoing |
sections: any person in interest may by |
summary proceedings in the district |
court having Jurisdiction, enforce the |
or collection of such taxes. |
or both. and such proceedings shall |
De MED and triable free to any cost to |
the litigant.
Paragraph 6. Municipal corporations. |
parishes and school, drainage, sub |
drainage. road, subroad navigation and |
sewerage districts (the City of New |
orleans excepted). hereinafter referred |
TO as subdivisions. when authorized to |
do so in the rnannar harafr n~ov;a-I