The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-10-31

such Investments when the entire
indebtedness, including the loan I'm
question, does not exceed fifteen 81
per cent of the assessed valuation
of the taxable real property in such
Municipalities; whereas. under the
existing Constitution loans are per-
mitted only where such total in
debtedness does not exceed seven
ca per cent of the assessed valu-
alton.
BY An Act of the Legislature OF the
State of Minnesota Approved April IL,
1901, and known as House File No. 3o3, 1t
is proposed to Amend Section Sixteen (l6)
of Article Nine (9) of the Constitution
The Section as now existing reads as
follows:
Section 16. For the purpose of lending
aid in the construction and improyement
of public highways and bridges there is
hereby created fund to be known as the
'state road and bridge fund.-. Said funo
shall include all moneys accruing from
the income derived from investments IN
the internal Improvement land tund, OF
that may hereafter accrue to said fund,
and shall also include all funds accruing
to any state road and bridge fund, how
The legislature is authorized to add to
such fund for the purpose or constructing
or improving roads and bridges OF t ms
state, by providing, in its discretion, tor
an annual tax levy upon the property OF
this state of not to exceed in any year
fSe 24 Of Wfbn g % on
The legislature is also authorized TO
provide for the appointment by the gov
ernor of the state of n board to be known
as the state highway commission" con;
sisting Of three 90 members, VINO shaLi
perform such duties as shall pc pre-
scribed by law, without salary or COM
pensation other than personal expenses.
Such commission shall have general SUI
perintendence of the construction OF STATE
1. Il Irsfs1 s1ASs 4lr,6 Oh a
fund in the construction thereof and
distribute the same in the several
counties in the state. upon an equitable
county shall receive in any year more
than three 90 per cent or less than one,
half @ of one a. per per cent e0 of the dr T95al
such year; and provided. further, that no
more than one-third Q-3 of such FUND
accruing in any, year shall be eXpended a
than one-third 1-S) of the cost of con-
structing or improving any road or bridge
be paid by the state from such fund.
1t is proposed by said Act to amend the
same so as to read as follows:
Section 16. FIR the purpose of lending
aid in the construction and Improvement
of public highws IS and bridges. there us IS
state Road and Bridge Fund said
fund shall include all moneys accruing
from the interest tna from tne
land fund, Or that may hereafter accrue
to said fund, and shall also include all
funds accruing to any state road
bridge fund however provided.
The legislature is authorized to add o
such fund for the purpose of construct
state, and providing in it's discretion for
an annual tax levy upon the property OF
this state, of not to exceed in any one
year one-tenth 0-10) of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state.
The existing Constitution author
fzes legislation providing for n levy
of a state tax of LEO of one mill for
the purpose of building roads and
bridges, and provides for its use
under the direction of a State High
way Commission in such counties
ms shall contribute at least double
the amount of the State moneys ex-
pended by said Commission for such
purpose, subject also to certain
other limitations.
BY the proposed change, tax of
lilo of one mill rs authorized to be
levied for this purpose; the High
way Commission is abolished, and
the result, if the proposed amend-
ment Is adopted, will be to place
the distr7bution of such funds in the
hands of the Legislature, without
Limitation or restriction.
w.
BY an act of the legislature of the State
of Minnesota, known as chapter one O
of the Laws of the Extra Session of 1902,
1t is proposed to amend sections one ID,
two ~ and three 90 Of article nine CD
of the constitution.
The sections as now existing read as
lows:
Section 1. All taxes to be raised in
this state shall be as nearly equal as may
be- and all property on which taxes are
to be levied shah have a cash valuation,
and be equaliZed and uniform throughout
the state; provided, that the Legislature
may, by general law or special act, au-
thorize municipal corporations to levy
assessments for local improvements upon
the property fronting upon Such improve
mentS or upon the property to be bene-
flied by such Improvements, or both,
without regard to cash valuation, and
in such manner as the legislature may
prescribe; and provided, further, that for
the purpose of defraying the expenses Of
laying water pipes and supplying any
city c. municipality with water, the leg
islature may, by general or special law.
authorize any such city or municipality,
having a population of five thou and or
more, to levy an annual tax or assess
ment upon the lineal foot of all lands
fronting on any water main or water
pipes laid by such city or municipality
within corporate limits of said city, for
supplying water to the citizens thereof.
property, and to empower such city to
collect any such tax assessments, or fines
or penalties for failure to pay the same,
or any fine or penalty for any violation
of the rules of such city or municipality
in regard to the use of water, or for any
water rate due for the same.
And provided further, that there may
be by law levied and collected tax upon
all inheritances. devises, bequests, Legal
cies and gifts of every kind and descrip-
ton above a fixed and specified sum, Of
anv and all natural persons and corpora
tions. Such tax above such exempted
sum may be uniform, or 1t may be grad
ed or progressive, but shall not exceed
a maximum tax of five per cent.
Sec. 2. The legislature shall provide
for an annual tax sufficient to defray the
estimated Ordinary expenses of the
state for each year; and whenever it
shall happen that such ordinary expenses
of the state for any year ShaU exceed
the income of the state for such year.
the legislature shall provide for levying
a tax for the ensuing year sufficient,
with other sources of income, to pay the
deficiency of the preceding year, together
suing year.
Sec. g. Laws shall be passed taxing
all moneys. credits, investments In bonds,
stocks, joint stock companies, or other
wise; and also all real and personal prop
erty, according to It's true value In
money; but public buryfng grounds, pub
lie schoolhouses, public hospitals, acad-
emies, colleges, universities and II semi
naries of learning, all churches church
property used for religious purposes, and
houses of worship. institutions of purely
public charity, public property used ex-
clusiyely for any public purpose and
personal property. to an amount not ex-
ceeding IN value two hundred dollars for
each Individual. shall. by general laws.
be eyonpt from taxation
It is proposed by said chapter to amend
the same so as to read as follows:
Section 1. The power of taxation silou
never be surrendered. suspended or con-
tracted away. The legislature shall pro-
vide for an annual tax sufficient TO tiefr;lY
the estimated ordinary expenses of the
state for each year, and whenever IL
shall happen that such ordinary ex-
penses for any year shall exceed the in
come o. the state for such year the
legislature alall at its next general ses-
sion provide = levying tax sufficient
to pay such deficiency. And whenever
the income of the state from other
sources shall be sufficient to defray all
of it's ordinary expenses without the levy
of any annual state tax, such tax levy
L.