The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1912-08-24
LEGISLATURE MEETS
Hears Report Of lax Connie
sion And ImmedllteIy Begins
Wcrk omit.
WORK ou1L|AEoP1 FARRAR
Report Of conamissia Il Long but
eexera Fla.a 7 Y II Z III
tinaated Inpne


Baton Rouge.-fhe legislature has
met in special sesion at the call OF
Gov. Hall. The Tax Commission
submitted its repon and both branch
es began the consideration Of it.
The report Of the commission was
long but covered the field thoroughly.
The main idea Of the commission De-
ing to avoid an confusion with the
old method of taxing, to allow every
community as much power of nome
rule as possible and TO make every
thing bear its just burden.
The legislature after recelYng the
report of the commission divided the
work up among committees Public
hearings were began and many ap'
peared to protest or ask some amend
ment or other. Several amendments
have already been offered by mem
bers Of certain districts asking that
certain things be taken from the list
Of the states taxable resources.
Several cities have protested the
taking of the street railways from the
cities claiming that this would work
an injustice to the cities by them ios-
ing one Of the main sources OF rev.
enue.
For the benefit of those who had
not read the commissions report to
the legislature, Mr.. Farrar gave a
short review of the commissions work.
His review follows:
The five cardinal principles which
have guided the commission are:
First-The separation of the sources
of state revenue from the sources OF
local revenue.
second-The giving Of the local gov
ernment as large a measure OF home
rule in matters of assessment and TAX
alton as possible.
Third--To give to the proposed sys-
lama as much flexibility as possible
n Fourth 10 tit ~ ukf
to the old without inifytice, friction
or loss Of motion.
We believe that we have success
fully carried out the first principle
without detriment to any locality OF
to any interest. We have recommend
ed that, as sources of state revenue
the state should take for the present
(a) certain new special taxes; (b) all
public service corporations except gas
water and electrict light and power
concerns, public warehouses and cot
ton presses; (c) the banking, the IN
surance and the sugar refinery bus1
ness; I'D all the natural resources Of
the state except the lumber business
which is left subject to the small IL
cense tax provided by the constitution
al amendment of 1910; (e) and licens
es and business and occupations tha
fall strictly within the domain o.
the public power. The state gives VI
her license system on everything fall
ing outside Of the strict limits of the
police power, and allows the local gov
ernment to have, equally with her
the power to levy licenses on all sun
jects within the strict limits OF TN
police power, and the exclusive rlgn
to levy, subject to certain restrictions
licenses on all businesses and occu
pations, not including, however, thos'
that fall among the sources of stat
revenue. The special taxes provided
for are not new. They are in vogu'
In many states in the Union. The.
are: First, stock transfer tax; sec
ond. a corporation organization tax
third, a corporation franchise tax, no
including public service corporations
fourth, tax on automobiles and SIM
lar vehicles for the benefit of the goo'
roads fund; fifth, tax on cotton
grain, sugar and coffee future con
tracts in lieu If all licenses and sixth
true, progressive inheritance tax
with limitations III accordance wit
the practice of older countries tha
levy such taxes and have levied then
for years.
A careful estimate OF what sum
| the state will get in 1914 from thes
sources of revenue has been made D.
our night and day working commit
tee on budget and statistics and ar
proved by the commission. A printe
table Of this estimate accompanie
and is attached to this report.
shows an estimated revenue for tha
year Of s5,350,0OO. The committee ha
also complied a table of the probabl
needs of the state in that year in OF
dor ia sunn]v the sums she is RI
ouired in amendments to the const
tuition, now pending before the people
! to provide for the Confederate We
Grams, for the payment and redeml
ton Of the public debt and to max
| provision for a large increase IN tn
| public school fund and Tor compef
sating parishes and municipallt1e
| which will lose revenue by the opera
Bakeries Must Wrap Bread.