New Iberia enterprise and independent observer., 1915-06-12
MIR. sUBERB1ELLE's LETTER.


The subjoined letter which wa
1 addressed to The editor of TIL
Iberian was also handed us 70
publication by Commissione
Suberbielle:
y In the last issue of your paper
you comment on the question o
the equalization of assessments
which | am advocating.
To you. mind, it would seem
equalization means higher as
sessments. Such a conclusion i,
not altogether Wrons, inaSmuch as
the assessments Of many. to d,
enualized, will Of necessity have
10 be increased. On the Other
hand however, equalization will
relieve many taxpayers of excess
taxation which they have been
bearing and which should have
been borne by those who have
been under-assessed for these
many years.
The object Of the Single Tax
System. to which | understand
you subscribe Is to place the bur
den of taxation upon those who
should properly bear it. Con-
sidering the imperfect system of
taxation under which we ope-
rate. should we not all lend our
cooperation (from a selfish view
point if not from other motives)
to the end that taxation, be equit-
ably imposed upon allY
Do you hold, Mr.. Editor, that
such "a condition with reference to
assessments as obtains in this City
should continue? Are you aware
that assessments in New Iberia
vary great deal and range from
ten to sixty-fve per cent? Are
you willing that a greater pro-
portion Of taxes than your just
share should be imposed upon
your property
l do not deny that more revenue
is needed bv the City and this ad-
citlOnal revenue must come from
increased assessments since the
City's revenue from licenses and
sources other than property taxes
has been seriously curtailed.
Therefore, in providing for addi-
lional property taxes, due regard !
should be had for existing assess
ments so that no one who is al
ready Over-taxed should be furth-
sr imposed upon. Hence the ne
'essity of revision and eqdaliza- ;,
ion. t., u u .~..e-- !
Let us now consider the condi-
ions that make it nee essarv for
more tax money "being squeezed
ut Of the taxpayers" as You put
t. In the first place it should be
'Orne in mind that the present
'ity administration inherited |,
rom the outgoing council foat- :
ng Indebtedness of $30,SO3.63 as :,
hown by audit made by Mr.. Fl.
!. Smith in June 1913. This !
was subsequently in .
reased to $35, 1857 by addition j.,
! unsettled accounts of the old {
;ouncil coming to the surface. OF =
he last named amount $S,071.0S !;
7as made up of accounts and 6
otes due by the Light, Power and :
Water Department, the books of :
Thich will show this as loss in !
peration. AS you were one of =
le supervising directors, having =
barge of the municipal plant at =
le time this Indebtedness accum- ?
lated, you should not be unfa- =
liliar with this matter. / make :
'ference to it without any desire h
criticise but merely to keep the r,
cord clearly before us. :,
No matter what may have been "
e cause or causes that brought
'out this financial condition of 7
le municipal plant, it became !,
'cessarv for the City Trustees m
hen they took charge of the City q,
fairs to make arrangements for or
e payment of these obligations NJ
hich have all been liquidated, m
We about one thousand dollars a,
le to the Texas Oil Co. The ia
t earnings Of the municipal
ant since we have had charge
We not been sufficient to pay the
1ebtedness in full, part of the
,ney therefore. was borrowed II
pm other funds, the same being
II due. With reference to that
rt Of the floating Indebtedness
'ed by the City proper, say $27,- or
4.19. there is still due the sum