The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1919-04-02
Taxpayers Approve Pro-
posed Trade with Board
Of Supervisors Of
Road District
Mass Meeting Held in City Hall
Last Night Assures Voting
of Bond Issue for
Streets and Roads


payers of Morgan City met in the
! City Hall last night for the purpose
of discussing with the mayor and the
city attorneys the parish road tax
question. The meeting was called to
order by Mayor Shannon, who gave
b brief sketch OF the situation as II
stood He explained that the charter
of the city exempted it from police
jury taxation and that the Jury,
through a road district organization.
proposed to tax the property within
the municipality regardless of its
charter. The question to be settled,
MIR. Shannon stated, was whether the
people Of Morgan City would permit
themselves to be forced into the cleo
tion. or whether they would be will
ing to enter into compromise with
the board whereby Morgan City
would be excluded from Road Dis
trlct No. l, and would contribute, in
stead, its pro-rata to the parish roads
from a bond issue to be floated in
the city of Morgan City under local
jurisdiction
The city attorneys then explained
every detail and phase of the matter,
setting forth their deductions. Mr..
c. L. Wise was the first to speak on
this matter, Mr.. Wise declared that
it was up to Morgan City to guard
jealously its rights enjoyed by viture
of its charter, and that IT was also up
to the people to show themselves
either in favor of joining the rest of
the parish in the matter of building
roads or refusing to help in same,
which he ventured the city could
hardly afford to do.
Mr.. Milling, the other city attorney
present explained that Morgan City's
proportion to be paid to the parish
should it enter into the election
would amount to approximately S2,-
Coo This amount, he said, was ar
rived at by deducting the prorata of
the balance the sixth ward together
with the amount promised for four
miles of street in Morgan City.
Mr.. Milling explained the legal
points involved in the case, and ex-
pressed himself as confident that if
petition were presented to the Jury
setting forth Morgan City's exact
position. and asking to be excluded
from the road district with the prom.
ise to contribute its share to the
roads fund, that the jury could hard.
ly refrain from complying with The
request.
Several similar cases were cited.
and it was shown that the citv of
Morgan City was assuming most
liberal attitude in view of the fact
that 1t was not bound to vote the tax.
Mr.. Shannon stated that the police
Jury had no assurance that the elec.
ton in Morgan City would carry, bur
that at the same time, Morgan City
had no assurance that the parish elec.
ton would carry, and that in the
event of the failure of the parish is.
sue, the city would still have to turn
over to the parish the $4,000 promis-
I'd from the local issue should it car
". The chances were even either
way, he said. and the city was will
ng to have the election on the same
lay as the parish in order to facil;-
ate the work.
a resolution and petition drawn I'D
~ the city attorneys was read. II
mentioned that the city taxpayers de-
'lored the intention of the jury to
include Morgan City in a road dis
rict, inasmuch as the city of Morgan
-itv was not subject to such action
IN the part of the jury. 1t also stated
hat the taxpayers of Morgan CITY
pledged themselves to vote bond
ssue OF Sl50,OO0 and to rurn over ths
qu1valent OF what the parish would
ret from including this CITY in the
rea to be taxed, thebalance to be
pent for improving the streets Of
ne city All the taxpayers present
igned the petition, which assures
hat the Morgan City election will
asiiy carry as more than major
ortlon OF the city's property was
epresented
The petition will be presented to
ne police jury, in session in Frank
N today. A delegation of citizens
nd officials from this city are in
tendance at this meeting. and will
oice their protests to the jury in
erson.