The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-24
not So WIDE OPEN
Senate Subcommittee i Prepares Tax
alton, Constitutional Amend
ment Bill Of Its Own.
The House Not Likely to Accept It
Because It Contains Too
Much Law.

The senate subcommittee, working OH
the taXat ton amendment to the constitu-
ton, reported to-day substitute for the
Wlde-open amendment passed by the
house. It proposes new sections in place
Of the first four sections of article 9.
These are drawn on the restrictive plan
and read as follows: .-,.... :
Section 1.-The power Of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended or con-
tracted away. 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 a
cash value, and shall be equalized and
uniform throughout the state. When no
tax is levied for state purposes the taxes
levied for local purposes shall be upon
valuation of the property within the sew
eral counties. and the subdivisions there
Of which shall be equalzed and uniform
throughout each county.
Special Assessments. s.p>.....
Section q The. legislature may by gen
eral or special law authorize municipal
corporations to levy assessments for local
improvements upon the property fronting
upon such improvements, or upon the
property benefited thereby or both, with
out regard to a cash valuation, and in such
manner as the legislature may prescribe.
A tax upon the gross earnings of all cor
porations, partnerships, or persons
holding or exercising franchise or fran
chise granted by public authority may be
levied and collected in lieu of tax upon
such franchise or franchises, and all prop
erty of such corporations, co-partnership
or person, used exclusively in connection
Herewith; and said gross earnings tax
shall be apportioned between the state,
f4e- soi> ,,oI.
franchise is exercised In the same man
rer as real estate taxes are apportioned.
Provided that nothing herein contained
shall be construed to affect, modify or re-
peal any law or constitutional provision
providing for the gross earnings of rail-
roads. T. ..-.s-.a-= r,~ ,,s.,. r.. ....a., =
.,~ A Transfer Tax.
Section 3-There may be levied and col
lected a transfer tax not to exceed 10 per
cent upon estates of decedents. above a
fixed and certified sum. which tax may
be graded or progressive or both. There
may be levied and collected registry tax
upon all real estate mortgages which shall
be in lieu of all other taxes on, the prop
erty secured by such mortgage. There
may, be levied and collected a tax upon
the income of all credit and personal
property in lieu of other taxes, which
shall not exceed 10 per cent Of such
incomes; and there may be levied and COL
lected a tax upon the income Of all per-
sons, copartnerships. Or corporations above
the sum Of 900, not arising from the in
come of property which shall not exceed
4 per cent thereof. Credits and personal
property shall not be subject to other
taxation and the income or registry tax
herein authorized while the la wimpos-
ing such, income, or registry tax shall be
enforced.
'7s,s~.os~E Exempt ffonsTaxatior,. ~-s. 40
Section 4--Ppblic bufyips, grounds, pubs
lic5 schoolhouses, pu bic hospitals, public
libraries, public colleges, public acade-
mics, public seninaries of learning, all
churches and church property used exclu-
sively for religious purposes, all houses OF
worship; institutions Of purely public char
ity, public property used exclusively for
public purposes, and personal property not
exceeding $500 to each individual slA.... be
exempt from taxation, but such personal
exemption shall not be allowed to more
than one member Of the same family.
The subcommittee consists of Senators
Thompson, Wilson, Dunn and Somerville.
The judiciary committee will give a pub
lie hearing next Tuesday at p. m. -
~ House Not Likely to Agree. -.
It is not believed that the house will
accept the senate bill. House leaders say
it is putting too much law in the consti-
tuition 1t authorizes the gross earnings
tax ON public service corporations, the
inheritance tax, the registry tax on mort
cages and. the income tax, which house
members are quite agreed to. But they
do not believe in so closely prescribing
, the way these taxes may be levied.
Bonds for County Commissioners.
An important measure by Senator Cal
houn provides that county commissioners
shall give bonds Of $4,000.
| Fight on Shearer Bill.
A fight occurred over the shearer bill
H. r. 1877, permitting building, loan an6
| savings associations to loan money OF
first class mortgages to others than stock.
holders. Senator Thorpe protested tina
there was only one such association, ant
that the time Of the senate should not b
taken up with the consideration Of law!
affecting only one private venture.
| Senator Calhoun defended it vigorously
He admitted that it affected only one as
ISOLATION, located in Minneapolis, but thai
was a most worthy institution and the
only one that had been SO managed as tt
survive the hard time The bill was car.
ried, 40 to 10. r ~. g.,