The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-13

0I T5J WHO
perform, such duties as shall be prescrib-
ton other than Gaeloa personal sa expenses.
,a Sneh commission shall have general SUI
roads and bridges and shall use. such
distribute the Same in the he's several
Sasis p the state up1n an tsa4
county shall receive in any year more
THAN three (3lsperI cent or less than one
nan ~ CT one % per cent OF the total
fund thus provided and expended during
such year; and provided, further, that no
more than one-thtrd (1-3) Of such fund
aaccruing In any. year shall be expended
Ior bridges. and In no case shall more
than one-third Qs3) Of the cost of con-
be paid by the state from such fund
1T is proposed by said Act to amend the
same SO as to read as follows:
a1o In the construction and Improvement
OF public highways and bridges, there is
nierepy created a fund to be known as the
fund shall include all moneys accruing
IRON the interest derived from the in
vestments In the internal Improvement
land fund. or that may hereafter accrue
funds accruing to any state, road and
bridge fund however provided
Inc legislature is authorized to add to
such fund for the purpose of construct
state, and providing in its discretion for
an annual tax levy upon the property of
this state, of not to exceed In any one
year one tenth G-10) Of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state.
The existing Constitution authorizes
LEGISLATION providing for levy. of state
tax Of 1-20 of one mill for the purpose
o. building roads and bridges, and provides
Highway Commission In such counties as
snail 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 lilo
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, Will be to place
the distribution of such funds In the hands
OF 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
1t Is proposed to amend sections one (D,
two CD and three CD Of article nine co.
The sections as now existing read as
follows:
Section 1. All taxes to be raised in
this state shall be as nearly equal as may
to be levied shall have a cash valuation,
and be equalizsd and uniform throughout
the state; provided that the legislature
may, by general law or special act, au-
thoriZe munieipalc corporations to levy
assessments for local improvements upon
the property fronting upon such improve
ments, or upon the property to be bene-
flied by such9 improvements, or both.
without regard tos 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 or municipality with water, the leg
islature may, by general or special law.
authorize any such city or municipality,
having a population of five thousand or
ment upon the liaeal 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,
without regard to the cash value of such
property, and to empower such city to
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 a tax upon
all 1nher1tances, devises, requests, lega-
cies and gifts Of every kind and descrip-
ton above fixed and specified sum, of
any and all natural persons and corpo-
rations. Such tax above such exempted
sum may be uniform, or it may be graded
or progressive, but shall not exceed a
maximum tax Of five per cent.
Sec. g.. The legislature shall provide for
an annual tax sufficient to defray the es-
timated Ordinary expenses Of the state
for each year; and whenever 1t shall hap
pen that such ordinary expenses of the
state for any year shall exceed the in
come Of the state for such year, the leg
islature shall provide for levying a tax
for the ensuing year sufficient, with other
sources of income, to pay the deficiency
OF the precedlngs;y year, together with the
estimated expenses Of such ensuing year.
Sec. 3. Laws shall be passed axing
stocks, joint stock companies, or other
wise; and also all real and personal prop
erty, according to its true value in money;
but public burying grounds, public school
houses, public hospitals, academies, COL
leges, universities and all seminaries of
learning, all churches, church property
used for religious purposes, and houses of
worship, institutions of purely public ctbr-
ity, 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 taxation.
1t is proposed by said chapter to amend
the same so as to read as follows:
Section l. The power of taxation shall
tracted away. The legislature shall pro
vide for an annual tax sufficient to defray
the estimated ordinary expenses of the
state for each year, and whenever it
penses for any year shall exceed the in
come Of the state for such year the
legislature shall at its next general ses-
sion provide for levying a tax sufficient
the income of the state from other
sources shall @be sufficient to defray all
OF Its ordinary expenses without the levy
e OF any y annual state tax such tax levy
in this state shall be as nearly equal as
may be. and shall be levied and collected
for public purposes only; and all property
as herein otherwise provided, shall have
a cash valuation and shall be equalized
and uniform throughout the state; pro-
vided that whenever the levy Of tax
for state purposes is omitted as above
provided, theStaxes levied for local pur-
poses shall be upon a valuation of the
property within the several counties and
equaliZed and uniform throughout each
county. The legislature may by general
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 a cash valuation in such manner
as the legislature may prescribe. There
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
franchise; or in lieu of a tax on such
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
upon the gross earnings of the person
or corporation holding such franchise as
the legislat ure 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
lected a transfer. tax not to exceed s
per centum upon the estates Of decedents
above fixed and specified sum, which
tax may be uniform or graded or pro-
gressive. There may be levied and coll
lected a registry tax upon all real estate
mortgages which shall be in lieu Of ali
other taxes on the debt secured by such
mortgages; and tax upon the income from
all credits owned by persons or corpora