Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1922-04-14
From Mr.. Jas. p. Allen.

FROM Mr. Jas i <AuCns
st. Joseph, La, April 6,1922.
Mr.. George ii. Clinton,
AttOrney-at-Law,
st. Joseph, LOUISIANA.
Dear Mr.. Clinton:
have Just read with much IN
terest ana approval your article In
the lENoAo GAAEIIE, and the
people OF thus parish owe you a deDt
OF gratitude Tor taxing up THIS hgnt
tor a more equitable taxation OF
property in this parish.
During the war ana the period OF
great imitation in values OF lands and
personal property, the lands Oh len
sas fansh were greatly Increased
by the assessor, ana TINS same tnlng
was done everywhere else. Lands ana
personal property doubled in value In
the lew years during the boom, ana
OF course the assessors raised the
values in propOrtion; but lands and
personal property during the past
Two or three years have decreased In
value at least 5U per cent, and still
the assessed values made for lands
and personal property during the
boom period nave been allowed to
remain the same, which is working q
great hardship and injustice to the
taxpayers everywhere.
Ihls action by the authorities who
placed these values has wrought q
hardship on the people OF thus par
ISM tor several reasons, one being
the lands are assessed at more than
their actual valHe under present
conditions; and another reason. It will
drive out from our psrish . great
many people who have invested
here, that is the high rate of tax
alton, and it will also cause great
many good people who would settle
here not to do so on account Of the
nigh rate OF taxation.
The first thing a man asks when
ne Is locating in a community Is the
ate OF taxation, and If it Is exces-
sively high is sure to settle some
wnere else; and If lands are valued IN
ms parish at higher rate than
lands in surrounding parishes (which
know is the case) 1t makes the tax.
payers here have to pay more thar
their just and fair proportion Of the
state tax.
am not writing this letter to you
from any selfish motive but because
1 believe it will be greatly to the in
terest Of the people Of this parish II
see that personal property is assessed
on a more reasonable basis.
Enclosed l send you a clipping
which l cut out of the NEW OR
LEANS STATES few days ago, ant
if you read this editorial you viii
see that this great paper takes tn
same position that you do in thi
matter, and would like you to hav'
the TENSAS GAZETTE publish thi
editorial.
! can not understand the use II
having an assessor and paying hin
q salary as well as local board o.
equalization and paying it salar!
and they have no voice whatever il
placing the values on the lands ant
personal property in that locality
From what You state in your lette
they have no authority whatever t.
place values on either the persona
property or the lands in this locality
They are certainly better qualified t.
assess this land than q State Boar
on account Of their familiar knowl
edge of the values of lands in thi
community and also personal rrop
erty.
/ / think that land values in thi
parish and personal property value
should be lowered to q point wher
they will be sufficient to raise tn
amount Of revenue necessary to car
ry on our parish government AM
also pay the interest on our bonds.
Unless something is done abou
this matter it is going to work
great hardship on our people in tb
parish and will also keep a grea
many from investing here.
1 trust you will keep up the goc'
work and do what you can to get tn
assessed values of the lands an
personal property in this paris
lowered.
| Yours very truly,
JAS. p. ALLEN.