The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-17
ARTICLE VIII.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS AND Po:Ic1
REGULATIONS

|
organization and classification OF mu-
picipal corporations. The powers of
each class shall be defined SO that no
such corporations shall have ary pow
crs or be subject to any rest lotions
other than all corporations of tue same
class. Cities and towns now existing
under special charters may re-organize
under the general laws of the State,
and when SO re-organized their special
charters shall cease and determine.
Sec. 2. No city or town shall be or
ganized without the consent of the
majority of the electors residing and
entitled by law to vote within the dis
trict proposed to be incorporated; such
consent to be ascertained in the man
ner and under such regulations as may
be prescribed by law.
Sec. .. The general assembly shall
restrict the powers of cities and towns
to levy taxes and assessments, to bor-
row money and to contract debts, and
no tax or assessment shall be levied or
| debt contracted eXccDt in pursuance of
law. for public purposes specified by
| law.
Sec. 1. No law shall be passed by
the general assembly granting the right
to construct and operate street or
/ other railway, telegraph, telephone or
! electric plant, or to erect water or gas
WORKS for public usc or to lay mains
| for any purpose, without first obtain.
! ing the consent of the local authorities
III control of the streets or public
places proposed to be occupied for any
such or like purposes.
| Sec. 5. Cities and towns may ac-
auire, by construction or purchase,
and may operate water works systems
and plants for furnishing lights, and
may furnish water and lights to indi-
| viduals, firms and private corporations
| for reasonable compensation: Provid-
! ed, that no such construction or pur-
chase shall be made except upon n ma
| jority vote of the electors in said cities
or towns who are qualified to vote on
the bonded Indebtedness of said cities
or towns.
! Sec. 6. The corporate authorities
of cities and towns in this State shall
be vested with power to assess and
collect taxes for corporate purposes,
said taxes to be uniform in respect to
persons and property within the juris-
diction OF the body composing the
rs is exempt 10y law, within the limits of
cities and towns shall be taxed for the
payment of debts contracted under au-
thority OF law. License or privileged
taxes imposed shall be graduated so
rs to secure II just imposition of such
tax upon the classes subject thereto.
Sec. I. No city or town in this State
shall hereafter incur any bonded debt,
which, including existing bonded in
dcbt.dness, shall exceed per centum
of the assessed value Of the taxable
property therein, and no such debt
shall be created without submitting the
question rs to the creation thereof to
the qualified electors of such city or
town, as provided i'll this Constitution
FOR such special elections; and unless u
majority Of such electors voting on the
question shall be IN favor OF creating
such further bonded debt, none shall
be created: Provided. that this section
shall not be construed to prevent the
issuing of certificates Of Indebtedness
in anticipation Of the collection of
taxes for amounts actually contained
or to be contained in the taxes for the
year when such certificates are issued
and payable out of such taxes: And
provided, further, that such cities and
towns shall on the issuing of such
bonds create a sinking fund for the re-
demptlon thereof ut maturity. Moth
ing herein contained shall prevent the
issuing of bonds to an amount sufficient
to refund bonded Indebtedness exist
ing at the time of the adoption of tEis
Constitution.
Sec. s. Cities and towns may EXEMPT
from taxation. by general or special
ordinance, except for school purposes,
manufactures established within their
limits for five successive years from the
time of the establishment of such man
ufnctories: Provided, that such ordi-
nance shall be first ratified by ma
Jorlty of such qualified electors of such
city or town as shall vote Mt up cleo
tlon held for that purpose.
Sec. .. No armed police force or
representatives Of detective agency
shall ever be brought into tins State
! for the suppression of domestic Iiu-
lcnce; nor any other armeI i or unarmca
body Of men he hrought in tor that
purpose, except upon the application
Of the general assembly or of the ex-
ccutlvc Of this state lHhcn the g"ner-
al assembly Is not IL session, AZ pro-
vldcd IL the Constitution Of the United
States. The general assembly shall
provide proper penalties for the en-
forccmcnt OF TIE provisions of this
section.
Sec. 10. 1t shall be the duty of the
general assembly to create boards OF
health wherever they may be ncccs-
49, Il