The Natchitoches enterprise., 1921-02-10
Constitutional Convention

COnStltutlOHd1 VOuVSAsAO1s
The citizens of Louisiana, par.
ticularly thore who recognize the
need of framing a new constitu'
60 tion,. have been giving much
thought to this important matter
as the time for the convention
draws near and suggestions for
the abolishing of different articles
of the old, condensing some and
framing others, have appear
ed from time to time, in the pa
pers, from the pens of men who
are eminently fitted to express
their opinion, by right of training,
experience and having the best IN
terestsb of our commonwealth al
heart
In a late edition of the ShreVe'
port Times, Gov. Blanchard, OF
that city, who is personally SO well
known to US as private citizen
as owell as former ruler of our
state and leader in national poll
tics, published q letter which is as
, full of excellent suggestions for
the new constitution as Natchi-
toches pecan Of rich meat. and no
doubt have great weight when our
law trainers meet at their confer
ence in Baton Rouge, next month,
so is reproduced below, for the
benefit of our readers.
A word about the new Constitution,
the confection Of which will begin in
March.
It should BE short and confined to
general enunciation Of government
powers. .
Nevertheless, taxation -should d be
watched and safeguarded and restricted
In the Constitution itself, for the pow
or to tax is a power tosdestroy.
In Louisiana there are too many
boards, commi ssions, districts and
other political subdivisions having the
power to tax, or else to initiate taxa
etion.
Special taxes coming from such po-
litical subdivisions have resulted and
are constantly resulting in grievous bur.
dens put upon property and upon tax
PAYERS. Abolish most of the taxing
districts and put drastic curb "a stiff
bit) upon the others.
The Constitution should fix maxi.
mum limit upon taxation for all pur-
poses, and the power to tax within
such limit should be left as much as
possible in the hands of the General
Assembly and not given to boards.
commissions and taxing districts.
If the boards, commissions, etc. are
to be left in existance, curb their pow
er to call elections to vote taxes. We
al know how such power is liable to
abuse; how under such power special
taxes may be pyramided until they
dwarf in the aggregate the regular
taxes for the state, psri'hes and mu-
inequalities.
Hon. John K. Hunter, distinguished
member of the Alexandria bar and .
delegate elect to the convention, re-
Gently in published article called at
tention to the abuses of the special tax
system in the way Of permitting the
pyramiding of taxes.
And well he may. for his pa, ish
(Rapides) is about the limit in respect
to this abuse, though Caddo is wellnigh
q great a sinner.
! have before me tax receipt for
taxes Of 1920 paid on farm property in
Rspidss parish and it is a sample Of how
taxes may be pyramided, and this on |
IN assessment which equals the full cash |
value Of the property.
Here it is: State tax $59.44; parish |
tax, $7i.30; special road tax, $56. Al;
parish school tax, $22.2s; contingent
school tax $i4S6; district levee tax.
42.72; acreage levee tax, $l2.50; speci-
a school tax No. q, $780, "A; special
school tax No. "a, $l4.14; special drain
age tax No. 18, $S.10. Total, $S69.26
Of which $l33. "a is the aggregate Of
the regular state and parish taxes and
e225.52 is the aggregate Of the pyra-,
mid special taxes.
AS the law now stands when one Of
the many local taxing districts puts up
IN election for more taxes it requires q
in numbsr of voters and Z
n amount Of property to car
~ such tax. Inotlce through the press
; movement will be made in the con-
vention to abolish the majority in
amount of property" in such elections.
md have the tax carry by majority
ID number of voters alone.
This should not be. Kin of quickly
such . proposal.
The question Of taxation has become
Iuch sore subject throughout the
United States that some Of The etateei i
IRE agitating the holding Of state con-
Feutions In protest against the grow
09 tondencV to 0.nlla mn mora and v,nnrnI