The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-20

sisting of three (3) members. who shall
perform such duties as shall be prescrib-
ton - other her than loI personal expenses.
Such commission shall have general SUI
perintendence Of the construction OF state
roads road "a, and bridges and shall use su On
distribute the same in the several
counties in the state upon an equitable
! basis. Provided, further that no
than three (3) per cent or less than one,
half (1b) CT one Cd per cent Of the total
fund thus provided and expended during
more than one-third (1-s) of such fund
accruing in any year shall be- EXPENDED
Tor bridges. and In no case SHAH more
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 IT, For the purpose of lending
| aid in the construction and Improvement
| of public highways and bridges, there is
| hereby created a fund to be known as St, th ls
| Estate 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 accruing 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 it's discretion for
an annual tax levy upon the property OF
year one tenth (1-10) of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state.
The existing Constitution authorizes
| legislation providing for levy of state
tax of 1-2o of enc mill for the purpose
| of building roads and bridges, and provides
| for its use under the direction of State
| Highway Commission in such counties as
| shall contribute at least double the
rf C+14o dad
| 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, 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 %,
| two CD and three CD of article nine (9)
| of the constitution.
The sections as now existing read as
| follows:
| Section l. 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 shall have cash valuation,
and be equalized and uniform throughout
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 or municipality with water, the leg
jSl9f11ra nv or Snaciq1
authorize any such city or municipality,
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
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.
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 inheritances, devises, requests. lega-
cies and gifts Of every kind and descrip-
any and all natural persons and corpo-
ratfons. 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. .. The legislature shall provide for
an annual tax sufficient to defray the es-
timated Ordinary expenses Of the state
for each year; and whenever it 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
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.
all moneys, credits, invest ments 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, 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 cfGr-
! 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 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 state for such year the
| legislature shall at its next general, SEES
sion provide for levying tax sufficient
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
on which taxes are to be levied, except
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 a tax
| for state purposes is omitted as above
| provided, the taxes levied for local pur-
! 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
| 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
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 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 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 5
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
| lected a registry tax upon all real estate
| mortgages which shall be in lieu Of all
| other taxes on the debt secured by such
mortgages; and a tax upon the income from
| all credits owned by persons or CORPORA