The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-27


Section 16. For the purpose of lending
aid in the construction and Improvement
of public highways and bridges. there is
hereby created fund to be known as the
State Road and Bridge Fund" Said
fund shall include all moneys accruing
from the interest derived from the in
veStmentS in the internal Improvement
land fund. or that may hereafter accrue
to said fund, and shall also include all
funds accrufng to any state, road and
bridge fund however provided.
The legislature is authorized to add to
such fund for the purpose of construct
ing or improving roads and bridges of the
state. and providing in its. discretion Tor
an annual tax levy upon the property OF
this state, of not to exceed in any one
year one-tenth G-10lf of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state.
/. The existing Constitution authorizes
legislation providing for levy OF state
of building roads and bridges, and provides
fer its use under. the direction of a State
Highway Commission In such counties as
shall contribute at least double the
amount of the State moneys expended by
said Commission for such purpose, subject
also to certain other limitations.
|. BY the proposed change, tax of Ito
of one Mill is authorized to be levied for
this purpose; the Highway Commission Is
abolished, and the result. If the proposed
amendment Is adopted, viii be to place
the distribution of such funds In the hands
CT the Legislature, without Limitation or
restriction.
".
BY an act of the legislature of the State
OF Minnesota known as Chapter one %
of the Laws of the Extra Session of 1902,
it is proposed to amend sections one %,
two (2) and three CD of article nine (s)
of the constitution
The sections as now existing read as
follows:
this state shall be as nearly equal as may
he. and all property on which taxes are
to be levied shall 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 a cash valuation, and
prescribe; and provided. further that for
the purpose of defraying the expenses of
laying water pipes and supplying any
city or municipality with water the leg
1Slature may, by general or special law,
authorize any such city or municipality,
having a population of five thousand or
more, to levy an annual tax. or assess
ment upon the lineal foot of all lands
pipes laid by such city or municipality
within corporate limits of said city, for
supplying water to the citizens thereof.
Without regard to the cash value of such
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
all inheritances, devises, requests. lega-
cies and gifts of every kind and descrip-
ton above a fixed and specified sum, OF
any and all natural persons and corpo-
a6
sum may be uniform, or 1t may be graded
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 es-
tfmated Ordinary expenses of the state
for each year; and whenever it shall hap
state for any year shall exceed the in
come of the state for such year, the leg
islature shall provide for 1evying a tax
for the ensuing year sufficient with other
sources of income, to pay the deficiency
of the preceding year, together with the
estimated expenses of such ensuing 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 burying grounds public school
houses, public hospitals, academies, col
leges. universities and all seninaries of
learning, all churches church property
used for religious purposes, and houses of
1ty, public property used exclusively for
any public purpose, and personal property
to an amount not exceeding in value two
hundred dollars for each individual, shall
by general laws be exempt from taxa ton.
1t is proposed by said chapter to amend
the same so as to read as follows:
Section l. The power of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended or con-
tracted away. The legislature shall. pro-
vide for an annual tax sufficient to defray
the estimated ordinary expenses of the
shall happen that such ordinary ex-
penseS for any year shall exceed the in
come of the state for such year the
legislature shall at its next general ses-
to pay such deficiency And whenever
the income of the state from other
sources shall be sufficient to defray all
of its ordinary expenses without the levy
of any annual state tax, such tax levy
shall be omitted. All taxes to be raised
| in this state shall be as nearly equal as
for public purposes only; and all property
| on which taxes are to be levied except
as herein otherwise provided, shall have
I a cash valuation and shall be equalized
and uniform throughout the state; pro-
vided that whenever the levy of a tax
for state purposes is omitted as above
provided, the taxes levied for local pur-
poses shall be upon valuation of the
property within the several counties and
the subdivisions thereof, which shall be
equalized and uniform throughout each
or special law authorize municipal cor
porations to levy assessments for local
improvements upon the property fronting
upon such improvements; or upon proper
ty benefited thereby, or both, without re-
gard to cash valuation in such manner
as the legislature may prescribe. There
may be levied and collected an annual
tax upon franchises granted by public
authority, in addition to the tax on the
real property and other personal property
of the person or corporation holding such
| c.,<,, a1,; ,.a -, 1i0,, - 49,
| franchise alone, or in lieu of a tax on
| such franchise and the personal property
used in connection with the exercise of
! the same, there may be imposed such tax
7 or corporation holding such franchise as
| the legislature may determine; and said
| tax shall be apportioned between the
! state, counties and municipalities where
| such franchise is exercised, in the same
manner as real estate taxes are appor-
| toned. There may be levied and col
per centum upon the estates of decedents
| above a fixed and specified sum, which
| tax may be uniform or graded or pro-
| gressive. There may be levied and col
| leeted a registry tax upon all real estate
| mortgages which shall be in lieu of all
other taxes on the debt secured by such
all credits owned by persons or corpora
| lions, as such credits are now or may
be hereafter defined by law, and
also on the income arising from all per-
| sonal property, and also upon the income
! of all persons or corporations above the
| sum of $1,000 per annum, not arising
from such credits or from such personal
property, or from property otherwise
! taxed in this state. Such income tax shall
| be uniform throughout the state, and
may be graded or progressive or
| both, and shall be levied at rate not
to exceed 10 per centum upon the income
from such credits, and upon the income
| from personal property, and at rate
not exceeding 4 per centum upon such
| oil, hall ha y,uc n fov
| ing all real and personal property; pro
vided that credits and personal property
shall not be subject to other taxation
authorized auth While the law imposing such l
| income or registry tax shall be in force:
| provided, public burying grounds pub