The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-10-18

- SECTION Ct m T. For the purpose Of lending
OF public highways and bridges there is
hereby created a fund to be known as the
state road and bridge fund" Said fund
snail include all moneys accruing from
the income derived from investments in
the internal improvement land fund, or
that may hereafter accrue ito said fund,
and shall also include all funds accruing
TO any state road and bridge fund, how
ever provided. 5s5G s5F3 u 81
The legislature is authorized to add to
or improving roads and bridges Of this
state, by providing, in its discretion, for
an an annual tax levy upon the property Of
one-twentieth (1-20) of one az mill on all
the ne taxable property within the state;
The legislature is also authorized to.
ernor Of the state of a board to be known
as the state highway commission. con-
sistin g, OF three ~ members, who shall
scribed by law, without salary or COM
pensation other than personal expenses.
Such commission shall have general SUI
roads and bridges and shall use such
f fur in the construction thereof and
distribute the same in the several
esntea n the state rree an faa9
than three lS per cent or les less than one.
fand e ppoSa The ddf Gta
such year; and provided, further that no
more than one-third Q-3) Of such fund
accruihg in any, year shall be. expended
for bridges, and in no case shall more
than one-third 1-3) of the cost Of con-.
structing or Improving any road or bridge
be paid by the state from such fund.
? It is proposed by said Act to amend the
same so as to read as follows: ~
Section 16. For the purpose of lending
aid in the construction and improvement
OF public highways and bridges, there is
.State Road and Bridge Fund.-" Said
fund shall include all moneys accruing
from the interest derived from the in
land fund, or that may hereafter accrue
to said fund. and shall also include all
funds accruing to- any state road and
bridge fund however provided. ~. u. . -
The legislature is authorized TO add to
such fund for the purpose Of CONSTRUCT.
an annual tax levy upon the property Of
this state, Of not to exceed in any one
year one-tenth a. 10) Of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state.
The existing Constitution author
ICES legislation providing for a levy
of a state tax of 1-2O of one mill for
the purpose of building roads and
bridges, and provides for its use
under the direction of State High
way Commission in such counties
as 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. a.s..: ~. IL
BY the proposed change, a tax of
lilo of one mill is 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 distribution Of such funds in the
hands of the Legislature without
Limitation or restriction.
~. 4
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 CD,
two CO and three 60 of article nine 90
of the constitution. T.. Er"st
The sections as now existing read as
lows: ..-. Z
"section 1. All taxes to be raised in
be. 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
thorize municipai corporations TO levy
assessments for local improvements upon
ments, or upon the property to be bene-
fitted by such improvements, or both.
without regard to a cash valuation, and
in such manner as the legislature may
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,
having population OF five thousand 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 Or penalty for any Xi9lati4n
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 inheritances, devises, requests, lega-
cies and gifts Of every kind and descrip-
ton above a fixed and specified sum, Of
tons. Such tax above such exempted
sum may be unit orm, or it may be grad
ed or progressive, but shall not exceed
a maximum tax Of five per cent. T..
Sec 2. The legislature shall provide
for an annual tax sufficient to defray the
estimated Ordinary expenses of the
shalI appen that such ordinarV e exnenses
Of the state for any year shall exceed
the income Of the state for such year.
the legislature shall provide for levying
with other sources of income, to pay the
enc ST he
suing year. ~ ~
Sec. 3. 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 its true value in.
money; but public burying grounds, pub
lie schoolhouses, public hospitals, acad-
emies, colleges, universities and all semi
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 exempt from taxation. 49, ~ 4
It is proposed by said chapter to amend
the same so as to read as follows:
Section 1. 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
state for each year, and whenever it
shall happen that such ordinary ,ex--
penses for any year shall exceed the in
come OF the o state ~ II Tor such year the
sion provide for levying tax sufficient
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
may be and shall be levied and collected
for public purposes only and all property
on which taxes are to be levied, except
as herein otherwise provided, shall have
cash valuation, and shall be equalized
and uniform throughout the state; pro-
vided that whenever the levy Of a tax
provided. the taxes levied for local pt1r-
poses shall be upon a valuation OF the
property within the several counties and
the subdivisions thereof, which shall be
equalized and uniform throughout each