New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-06-02
THE ASSESSMENT MEETING.

As per the invitation of Presi
; dent Theriot and the members OF
\ the Police Jury, several hundred
n citizens from every Ward in the
G Parish assembled in the pastime
. Theatre last Thursday afternoon
to hear what Hon. l.. f. Thomas
of the State Board of Affairs had
= to say as regards the future as
sessment Of all taxable property to
be adjusted by the State Board
. when the Boards Of Reviewers
get through with their duties.
There were property holders pres
ent from every end Of the Pa.lSh
and in all candor the gentleman
made some very strong points
showing the inequalities as exist
in most parishes of the state. Ills
talk was very interesting and
he convinced his listeners that a
great deal of taxable property IN
this State has been lodging the as
SCISSORS which was a great lnJus
tice to others who are paying their
Just share. He stated that in
some parishes the assessors had
imposed taxes on a twenty per !
cent. basis. while in others as much !
as scventy-five per cent was given
III and there was no uniformity
which is an injustice to the State
of Louisiana. He made comparl-
sons between the assessment fig
ures of 1916 and that some ten
years back, and stated that i'll
many parishes values were less
now than ten years ago. Mr..
Thongs explained the duties of
the assessors, who, as sworn Off
Gals was to perform their duty
conscientiously as it was not a
matter of politics, but the interest
of the Parish and State at issue.
He stated that many large indus
tries have been escaping adequate
taxation by giving their property
in at ridicuously low prices. He
showed that according to the tax
rolls there is three and half mil
lion dollars less merchandise in the
State at this time than there were
ta,, .,,,,. ,rn That -, oartn.p |
cities there is as much merchan-
disc in one store as is assessed III
the entire city. He showed were
there has been according to as
sessments a decrease of 10000
head of horses. 81 900 mules. &C.
600 sheep, goats and hogs, $780,
900 decrease in merchandise and
a $l1 ,00O,0 decrease in land val
ues within the past ten years.
During his discussion, Messrs.
Jules Dreyfus. Emile Vuilemot,
Jos. A. Provost, Henry N. Pharr
and others propounded certain
questions to him that he answered
to their satisfaction and in q con-
vincing manner and the only
thing the Board of Affairs desired
was fair assessment. Mr..
Thomas elucidated on the fact that
a large number of communities
were burdened with special taxes
which he regretted, but the State :
assessment was always the same
and it was necessary that sufficient +.
taxes be paid to meet the last l
budget of the General Assembly
which would be more than ample
il an honest assessment is handed /,
in by the property owners through
the State. As whole. we believe, |
despite the people S antagonism to /, |
taxes, majority of Mr. Thomas :
listeners left the meeting con-
vinced that the arguments he :,
made in favor of equalization were :
undisputahle and at the close of l
the meeting Mr.. Pharr stated that
he. felt certain the taxpayers of !.
Iberia would all hand III fair as
sessment upon their property. :
Mr.. Thomas closed his remarks by . |.
urging the people to work with
The Board of Reviewers who would !
sit beginning next week III re-
viewing and placing the proper Il
valuation upon all taxable prop
artv