The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-04-19
ThE NEW ROAD LAW
operative Only Upon Adoption
BY Vote i'm Counties.
Provides For a system of Co,,ao
"on of Poll and Property
Taxes in Cash.


senate and house, and at the request Of
the Joint committee:
Inc title provides ''for the levy col
lection and manner OF payment of road
poll and property taxes, the manner NJ
expenditure thereof, for elections to
ADOPT the system provided, and to re-
peal all inconsistent laws"
Every male resident or soiourner with.
III Che state Tor SIX months, between 81
anu oo years, outside incorporate cities
and towns, unless by law exempt, shall
annually pay road poll tax of 50, in
money, without any exemption, on the
nrst day OF March, or, in case of a so.
!ourner, at the end of his six months
soIourn. All poll taxes shall be paid
INTO the district funds.
The county assessors shall make
separate lists of all persons liable, and
snail collect from them and make re
turn to the county commissioners lists
OF all who have paid and all delinquents,
paying all moneys collected to the treas
urer. The delinquent taxes shall be col
Iected by the commissioners, or as they
shall direct.
Any person, firm or corporation owing
any person from whom a tax is due or
delinquent may pay to a collector the
amount due and it shall be a discharge
OF the debt and may be so pleaded in
any action brought. In all actions
brought by poll tax debtors for money
thus paid, the burden of proof that be
has paid, or showing that he does not
owe the tax, shall be on the debtor.
The commissioners or any collector
they may authorize may, in the name OF
process of civil procedure authorized by
law. Public officers of the state shall
render any service demanded by com
mlssioners or collectors, without charge,
except where their compensation is by
lees.
Road poll taxes shall, with penalty
and interest at same rate as other
taxes, be a lien upon any real or person
al property of a debtor, and the com
mlsslOners may certify delinquent lists
to the auditor for extension on the tax
rolls.
County commissioners shall divide
their county into not to exceed four
road districts for the purposes of the
act, and may change them not Oftener
than once year.
Property Taxes.
The commissioners shall annually levy
tax Of not more than three mills on a
dollar on all taxable property, payable
in money, for the general road and
bridge fund, from which fund they shall
order paid such sums as may be neces-
sary for construction, repair and i'm
prOvement of roads and bridges.
Commissioners shall annually lew
not more than six mills on the dollar on
property in road districts previously de-
fined, payable III money, for a road dis
trict fund, from which expense in con-
strUctiOn and repair of roads in the
several road districts where the tax is
levied shall be paid.
These taxes shall be extended on the
tax rolls by the auditor against subject
property. The treasurer shall collect in
money, whether poll or property taxes,
as other taxes are collected, and credit
the proper funds.
Appointment of Supervisors.
Commissioners may appoint from
among the qualified electors road super
visors at not more than So a day, who
shall! enter into bonds, and have power
to remove.
1t shall be the duty of the supervisor,
under direction of commissioners, to
keep roads and bridges in his district in
as good repair as funds will allow, and
keep all roads open for travel at all
times, making monthly reports of all
work performed to the commissioners,
who shall examine and certify to all
bills for labor and material. He shall
perform such other duties as may be re-
quired by the commissioners for proper
maintenance of highways.
Supervisors of the several road dis
tricts shall meet with the commissioners
on the first Tuesday of the boards
regular session in April, to outline the
road improvements to be made.
All funds raised by taxation shall be
expended by the commissioners, and all
road and bridge construction, improve
ment or repair shall be made by the
commissioners as follows:
Where the estimated cost shall be
under $50, may be let by the commits
sioners, or they may authorize the sup
ervisor to let without bids or advertis-
ing.
In all bids the commissioners may re-
quire bidders upon such conditions as
they may impose, before advertising for
bids, to deposit with their bids approved
certified checks or bonds for 10 per cent
of estimated contract price, subject to
forfeit if conditions are not fulfilled and
TO go to the general road and bridge
fund.
All road and bridge construction, i'm
provement or repair, estimated at more
than $50 and less than $500. shall be
let by contract by the commissioners on
plans and specifications previously pre-
pared by them, to the lowest and best
bidder, calls to be made by posting for
ten days three notices in three public
places, one at the most public place on
the route of the proposed work, one at
the nearest postoffice to the work and
one at the court house.
Road and bridge work estimated al
over $500 shall be similarly let, calls to
be made by posting as above and publ
cation in the official county paper foI
not less than three consecutive weeks
Bond shall be required in double the
amount of bids.
Not to exceed so per cent of the value
of the work done at any time shall bt
paid until the entire work is completed
and accepted.
To Be Adopted BY Counties.
This act shall not become operative il
any county unless a majority OF TIT
qualified voters shall vote in favor o