The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1914-09-24
ACT NO. 1872.
Senate Bill No. 7O-By Nh Favrot

ana 5 OF Article ESl OF tne COnSlllu-
ton of the State of Louisiana, as
amended by Joint Resolution, known
as Act No 1872 of the General Assem-
bly, Of the State Of Louisiana Of the
year 1912 and adopted, at the congress
sonal election held on the 9Th day Of
November, 1912, and as readopted by
the Constitutional Convention Of the
State of Louisiana for the year 1913
Section /. Be it resolved by the General
Assembly Of the State of Louisiana, two
thirds of all the members elected to each
House Concurring That paragraphs Two
(2) and Three 60 of Article Two Hun
dred and Eighty-one (2SD of the Consti
tuition of the State of Louisiana be amend
ed so as to read as follows:
ARTICLE! PSI.
Paragraph .. Police Juries in any parish
or parishes may in accordance with law
create drainage districts, which in addi-
ton to the powers hereinabove granted,
shall have further power and authority
to establish and maintain drainage sys-
tens and the governing authorities of
such districts, when authorized by ma
jOrity in number and amount Of the prop
erty taxpayers of said district qualified
to vote under the Constitution and laws
of the State of Louisiana who vote in an
election held for that purpose, may, for
the purpose of establishing and maintain
ing gravity drainage in such districts,
impose and collect for period not eX-
ceeding forty (40) years forced contribu-
tons or acreage taxes not exceeding fifty
cents $50 cts.) per acre per year on each
and every acre Of land, which is SusCepti-
BILE of gravity drainage. in the subdivision
where such an election is held. The gov.
ernng authority Of such subdivisions,
when authorized as set forth, may incur
debt and issue negotiable bonds to repre-
sent same, secured by the forced contri-
button or acreage taxes above described
provided that the total amount of debts
thus incurred or bonds issued shall not
exceed in principal and interest the ag-
gregate amount to be raised by said an
nual contributions or acreage taxes dur
ing the period for which the same are
imposed and that no such bonds shall be
for which the said contributions or acre
age taxes, are voted, to run for a longer
period than forty (4W years, bear n
greater rate Of interest than five per
centum per annum. payable annually or
emi-annually, or to be sold for less than
ninety per centum go PEI of par. And the
Board of Commissioners of Drainage Dis
~;
are authorized to levy additional taxes I'M
der the terms and conditions Of this article
and within the limits fixed thereby for the
purpose of perfecting and completing any
system of drainage eighty per cent of
which shall have been accomplished at the
time of said additional levy of taxes, and to
fund the avails of said additional levy of
taxes into bonds under the terms and con-
ditions set forth in the present article.
Paragraph 3. When the character Of
any land is such that it must be leveed
and pumped in order to be drained and
reclaimed the Board of Drainage Com
missioners of the district in which the
land is situated, shall upon the petition
of land owners, whether individuals or
corporations, resident or nonresident,
owning not less than a majority of acres
| in the area to be affected, ascertain the
cost per acre OF draining and retaining
said land, incur debt against each and
every acre of land thus situated for an
amount sufficient to drain and reclaim it,
and to issue for such debt negotiable
bonds for the total aggregate amount of
the cost of such drainage, which bonds
shall run not longer than forty (40) years
| from their date and bear interest at a
rate not exceeding five per centum per
annum, payable annually or semiannual-
~. and shall be sold for not less than
ninety per centum 600 p. g. of par; and
said Board of Drainage Commissioners
shall each year as long as any bonds are
outstanding levy annually upon each and
every acre of land, whether public or pri-
vate, situated in said drainage or sub
drainage district, forced contributions or
acreage taxes in an amount per acre SUI
fcent to maintain the drainage Of the
said district or subdrainage district, tC
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 for the payment Of said bonds
at maturity, provided, that such forced
contributions or acreage taxes for all pur-
poses shall never exceed Three Dollars and
Fifty Cents $3.50 per acre per annum'
All bonds heretofore issued under and
by virtue Of this Article PSI Of the Con-
stitution by the governing authority OF
any subdivision, which hive heretofore
not been declared invalid by judgment
Of court of last resort in the State OF
Louisiana and more than sixty t60) days
have elapsed since the PRONUNCIATION of
) the proceedings aGidencing the issuing