The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-11-02

stitution reorganizing and re
modelling the States system OF
assessment and taxation.
Section 1. Be it resolved by the
General Assembly of the State OF
louisiana, two-thirds Of all the mem,
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 it's 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-
llshment of industrial enterprises, or
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be Withdrawn either as to enter.
prlses 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 ali
SUBDIVISIONS of the State on behalf
of such subdivision, may defer for
not more than three years the col
lectlon OF taxes in localities subject
ed to overflow or other public ca
lamity.
3. The General Assembly shall have
power to classify all property for tax
alton, and to adopt different rules
and rates for different classes. but
such rules and rates shall be equal
and uniform on all subjects of the
same class throughout the territorial
limits of the authority levying the
tax. All such classifications shall be
based on the characteristics of the
property itself or its use, and new
er on persons or ownership.
4. Except in case of foreign inva-
sion or domestic revolution, the Cen
eral Assembly shall not have power
to levy any ad Valorem property tax
IN excess Of four per cent; but the |
General Assembly shall not exceed
The rate of two and one-half per cent |
except by vote of two-thirds of all
me members elected to each house
thereof.
Article II.
l. The sources of State and local
'eVenue shall be segregated and. ex-
'ept as hereinafter specified. or as
nay be hereafter permitted by a
'ote of two-thirds Of all the members
elected to each House of the Gener-
u Assembly, each taxing authority
nall be restricted in taxation to it's
'Wn sources of revenue as herein
.ssigned.
z. Until otherwise provided by a
'ote of two-thirds of all of the mem
ers elected to each House of the
!eneral Assembly, the following
nall be the sources of State reve-.
ue: Il
LIST. The special taxes hereinafter
rovided for. [
IND. All corporations, private per-
ons and unincorporated associations
lat operate any railroad falling un- {
er the jurisdiction Of the Railroad {
commission Of Louisiana; street rail- t
Dad; combined street railroad and {
ectric light and power business; s
eating or refrigeration plant, (not
lclusive Of cold storage plant: tel
phone line; telegraph line, wheth-
wireless or otherwise; express S
ne, dining car. sleeping car, oil car, L
,frigerating car, or cars for any t
'ner purpose operating upon rail- a
'ads in this state; steamboat, mot a
boat, steamship, ferry, barge and t
g, or other water craft, where OPP
'ated for hire, canal for transporta- t
On or irrigation, and pipe line for n
| or gas. When the electric light a
Id power business conducted in con-
notion with any street railroad can ii
practically severed from the street s
llroad business for purposes of as
then such severance shall r,
made by the Tax Commission and W
Oh electric light and power business
all not be a source of State reye- 81
e. =,
Bird. All banks, State and Nation. c,
including savings banks. trust p,
nks and trust companies, and all Fl
lVate bankers, whether individuals a,
partnerships, save that the real m
tate of all banks and bankers shall Al
locally assessed and taxed. The e1
sessments of the real estate of
nks and bankers shall be equaliz- ia
annually by the Tax Commission fiji
tho hocic