The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-10-24

sQualized and uniform throughout each
county. The legislature may by general
or special law authorize municipal cor
porations tc levy assessments for local
improvements upon the property fronting
upon such improvements, or upon proper
ty benefited thereby, or both, without re-
gard 20 a 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
FRANCHISE; or in lieu of tax on SUCH
franchise alone, or IN lieu of a tax on
such franchise and the personal property
used in connection with tae exercise OF
the same, there may be imposed such tax
upon the gross earnings of the person
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 coll
lected transfer tax not to exceed
above fixed and specified sum, which
tax may be uniform or graded or pro-
gressive. There may be levied and coll
lected registry tax upon - real es-
tate mortgages which shall b. in lieu of
all other taxes on the debt secured by
such mortgages; and a tax upon the IN
come from all credits owned by persons
or corporations, as such credits are now
or may be hereafter defined by law, ana
also on the income arising from all per
sonal property, and also upon the lncono
of all persons or corUorations above tne
sum of $1,000 per annum, not arising
from such credits or from such personal
property, or from property otnerWi us.
shall be uniform throughout the state,
and may be graded or progressive or
both, and shall be levied at a rate NOT
from such credits, and upon the income
from personal p operty, and at rate
not exceeding 4 pee centum upon such
other income. Laws shall be passed tax
ing all real and personal property: pro-
vided that credits and personal property
shall not be subject to other taxation
than the income or registry tax herein
authorized, while the law imposing such
income or registry tax shall be IN force;
provided. public burying grounds. pup
lie schools, public hospitals public, II,
and all seminaries of learning, all churcn-
es and church property used exclusively
for religious purposes, and instltuuons
of purely public charity, and public prop
erty used exclusively for public purposes.
and personal property to an amount :, no, .e
exceeding $500 to each individual shall pc
exempt from taxation but suc9 pers 5onra
exemption shall not be allowed to more
than Zone member of the same 1amliy:
Provided further. that nothing In TINS act
contained shall be construed to afIetcI:
the taxation of the gross earnings OF
railroads.
The effect of the above amendment,
If adopted, Will be to amend the ex-
fstinS Constitution, as foNoys'
1st. To prohibit the legislature
from guaranteeing or contracting
away the power of taxation.
End. To provide that whenever
the income of the State derived
other than from direct taxation up
on real and personal property shall
be sufficient to defray all the ex-
penses of the State, and the direct
tax levied for such purpose is omit
ted, taxes for local purposes shall
be levied upon the taxable property
of the county. which shall be equal
and uniform throughout the county
as distinguished from being equal
and uniform throughout the State.
Bird. To authorize municipal corr
poratfons to levy assessments Tor
local improvements under and pur-
suant to special, as distinguished
from general, laws.
4th. The Legislature IS authorized
to provide for the levy and colIec-
ton of an annual tax upon fran
ehises granted by public author
ity. in addition to the tax on real
and personal property of the person
or corporation holding the same.
9th. Inc AS
to provide tax upon the gross
earnings of any person or corpora
ton holding such n franchise, con-
ditioned that such gross earnings
tax may be I'm lieu of tax upon the
franchise or upon the franchise and
personal property as well.
9th. Authority is conferred upon
the Legislature to provide for the
levy and collection of registry
tax upon all real estate mortgages
which shall be In lieu of all other
tax on the debt secured by such
mortgage.
18th. The Legislature is authorized
to provide for tax upon incomes
I'm excess of 81 900 per annum, not
arising from credits or personal
property or from property other
wise taxed I'm this State, and also
a tax upon the income derived from
credits as well as from personal
property. Such tax shall be uniform
the state and may be
graded, or progressive. or both, and
shall be levied at rate not to ex-
ceed ten percentum upon incomes
derived from credits and personal
property, and at a rate not exceed
ing four per cent per annum upon
such other income. In case of the
imposition of the registry tax above
referred to, or of an income tax
arising from cred1tS or PERSONA
property, all credits and personal
property owned by the party
against whom such registry or in
come tax is imposed Is exempted
from all taxation while the law inn
posing such income or registry tax
is in force.
In other words, where an income
tax upon salaries or earnings OF In
dividuaIs is provided for, all per-
sonaI property and credits nrust still
be subjected to taxation, while In
case of the imposition of an income
tax arising from credits and per-
sonaI property or of registry tax
such credits and personal property
are exempted from taxation.
Sth. The Legislature is authorized
to exempt personal property of each
individual to the extent of $500,
provided the same shall not apply
or be allowed to more than one
member of the same family.
9th. other provisions of the exc
listing constitution involving the
subject of taxation are preserved
and continued I'm force.
w. ID. DOUGLAS,
Attorney General.