The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-09-14
of Louisiana be SO amended as to read


ARTICLE 2s1.
Paragraph /. Municipal corporations.
pariahes and school, drainage. sub
drainage. road, subroad. navigation, or
leans excepted. hereinafter referred to
as subdivisions of the State, when au-
thorized by vote of a majority. in
number and amount Of the property
Constitution and laws of this state.
who vote at an election held 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 newspaper pub
lished therein, may, through their re-
spective governing authorities. incur
debt and issue negotiable bonds there
for, and each year while any bonds thus
issued are outstanding, the governing
authorities of such subdivisions shall
impose and collect annually. in excess
Of all other taxes. tax sufficient, to
pay the interest, annually or semi
annually, and the principal falling due
each year, or such amount as may be
required for any sinking fund necessary
to retire said bonds at maturity; pro-
-vided that such special taxes. for all
purposes as above set forth shall not
in any year exceed ten mills on the dol
lar of assessed valuation of the prop
erty in such subdivisions.
No bonds shall be issued for any
other purpose than that stated in the
submission of the proposition to the
taxpayers. and published for thirty (3o)
days as aforesaid. or for greater
shall such bonds be issued for any
other purpose than for constructing.
improving and maintaining public roads
and highways paving and improving
streets. roads and alleys, purchasing
and constructing systems of water
works. sewerage. drainage, navigation.
lights. public parks and buildings. to-
gether with all necessary equipments
works of public improvement, the title
to which shall rest in the subdivision
creating the debt, as the case may be;
nor shall such bonds run for longer
period Plan forty (4o) years from their
date or bear greater rate of interest
than five per centum (5) per annum.
or be sold for less than par The total
issue of bonds by any subdivision for
all purposes shall never exceed ten
per centum t10) Of the assessed vaiua-
ton OF the property in such subdivis-
ions. Municipal councils are granted the
authority to create within their limits
one or more Sewerage 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
inabove granted, shall have further
power and authority to provide and
maintain drainage systems and the
governing authorities of such districts,
when authorized by a majority in num-
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
and interest the aggregate amount to
be raised by said annual contributions
or acreage taxes during the period for
which the same are imposed and that
no such bonds shall be issued for airy
other purpose than that for which said
contributions or acreage taxes were
voted. run for a longer period than
forty years. bear a 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 subdivisiosr at any
election not contested on any ground
of fraud are hereby recognized and
validated.
Paragraph 3. When the character of
any land is such that IL must be leveed
and pumped in order to be drained
and reclaimed. the Board Of Drainage
the land is situated shall. upon the
petition of not less than a majority in
acreage of the property taxpayers.
resident and nonresident, in the area
drainage. and retaining said land and
incur debt against said land for :. an
amount sufficient to drain and reclaim
1t. and ISSUE for such debt negotiable
bonds running not longer than forty
(40) years from their date and bearing
interest at rate not exceeding five
per centum per annum payable annually
or semi-annually. which bonds shall not
be sold for less than par; and said Board
OF Drainage Commissioners shall levy
annually upon said land forced contribu-
tions or acreage taxes in an amount
sufficient to maintain the drainage of
said land. 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
provided for payment OF said bonds at
maturity. provided, that such forced
contributions or acreage taxes. for all
purposes shall never exceed Three DOL
lars and Fifty Cents (s3.5o) per acre
per annum.
Paragraph 4. The police juries of the
various parishes throughout the State.
for the purpose Of constructing high
ways and public buildings for the par
ish. and the governing authorities of
municipal corporations for the purpose
of 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
for a period not exceeding ten Q0)
years, and bearing interest at rate not
exceeding five 60 per centum per an
mum, which bonds shall not be sold
for less than par. the avails of the
residue OF the ten (10) mill tax au-
thorized by Article 232 of the Constitu-
ton of Louisiana.
Paragraph 5. Should any of the SUBJ
any reason to impose or collect the
taxes provided for in the foregoing sec
tions. any person in interest may by
summary proceedings in the district
court having Jurisdiction, enforce the
imposition or collection of such taxes.
or both. and such proceedings shall be
filed and frfa bile fraa To any cost To the