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

such investments when the entire /
indebtedness, including the loan in
question, does not exceed fifteen (15)
per cent of the assessed valuation
of the taxable real property i'm such
municipalities; whereas, under the
existing Constitution loans are per-
mitted only where such total in
debtedness does not exceed seven
90 per cent of the assessed valu-
alton.
III.
BY An Act of the Legislature of the
State of Minnesota Approved April Is,
1901, and known as House File No. 1858, 1t
is proposed to Amend Section Sixteen (16)
Of Article Nine Coz of the Constitution.
The Section as now existing reads as
follows:
Section 16. For the purpose of lending
ala In the construction and improvement
or public highways and bridges there is
hereby created 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
and shall also include all funds accruing
to any state road and bridge fund, how
ever provided.
The legislature is authorized to add to
such fund for the purpose of constructing
or improving roads and bridges of this
state, by providing, in it's discretion, for
this state of not to exceed in any year
one-twentieth 1-20) of one ID mill on all
the taxable property within the state;
The legislature is also authorized to
provide for the appointment by the gov
ernor of the state of a board to be known
as the estate highway commission" con.
SiSting of three 90 members, who shall
perform such duties as shall be pre-
scribed by law, without salary or COM
pensation other than personal expenses.
Sucn commission shall have general SUI
perintendence of the construction of state
roads and bridges and shall use such
fund in the construction thereof and
counties in the State. upon an equitable
basis. Provided, further that no
than three 80 per cent or less than one
half 90 of one. ~ pei, cent of the total
fund thus provided and expended during
more than one-third Q-3) of such fund
accruing in any, year shall be expended
for bridges. and in no case shall more
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 10. For the purpose of lending
aid in the coni 'uction and Improvement
of public highways and bridges, there is
hereby created a fund to be known as the
estate Road and Bridge Fund" Said
fund shall include all moneys accruing
from the interest derived from the in
vestments in the internal improvem emit
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 its diseret nrfv t OF
this state, of not to exceed in any one
year one-tenth Q-10) Of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state
The existing Constitution author
f<,r
of 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 n 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.
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.
w.
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 (2) and three 60 Of article nine 90
of the constitution,
The sections as now existing read as
lows:
Section 1. 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
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 improves
ments, or upon the property to be bene-
fitted 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 dofraying 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
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.
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
be by law levied and collected tax upon
all inheritances, deviSes, requests, Iega-
cies and gifts of every kind and descrip-
ton above fixed and specified sum. Of
any and all natural persons and corpora
lions. Such tax above such exempted
sum may be uniform. or it may be grad
ed or progressive, but shall not exceed
q maximum tax of five per cent.
Sec. 2 the legislature shall provide
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 expenses
of the state for any year shall exceed
the legislature shall provide for levying
q 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 en-
Sec. 8. 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 s,91 I,g,t to It's true value in
lie schoolhouses,- public hospitals, acad-
emies, colleges, universities and all semi
naries of learning, all churches. church
houses of worship. institutions of purely
public charity. public property used ex-
clusively for any public purpose, and
personal property to an amount not eY
ceeding in volle two hundred dollars for
each individual, shall, by general laws
be exempt fror- taxation.
It is proposed by said chapter to amend
the same so as to read as follows:
Section 1. The power of taxation SHAH
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 1t
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 it's next general ses-
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