The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-10-05
Senate Joint Resolution No 2s5:

Being a joint resolution proposing an
amendment to Article l6 OF the Consti-
tuition of the State of Florida relating
to the drainage. reclamation and inn
provement Of the swamp and overflow
ed lands, the creation of Board of
Drainage Commissioners, prescribing
its powers and duties, authorizing the
establishment of drainage districts, a
drainage system. the building of canals,
levees, bikes and reservoirs for pur-
poses of drainage. irrigation and COM
merce, the assessment of lands TO be
drained, reclaimed, improved and bene-
fitted by means thereof, the collection of
necessary funds by assessments of ben
efts of taxation, and providing for the
management and maintenance thereof,
and for exercise of the right of emf
nent domain, and for the sale and uses
Of said lands for the purpose of drain
age, reclamation and Improvement Of
said swamp and overlooked lands within
the State of Florida
The following amendment to Article
XVI of the Constitution of the State OF
Florida be and it is hereby agreed TO
and shall be submitted to the electors
of the State at the general election to
be held on the first Tuesday after the
first Monday in November, A. d. 1906,
for ratification or rejection.
Section 80. The Governor, the Comp
troller, the State Treasurer, the Attor-
ney- General and the Commissioner of
Agriculture of the State of Florida,
and their successors in office, are here
by constituted and designated as a
Board of Drainage Commissioners, and
are hereby authorized and empowered
TO establish system of canals, drains,
levees, dykes and reservoirs of such di-
mansions and depth, as, in the judge
ment of said Board of Drainage Com
missioners, is deemed advisable, to
drain and reclaim the swamp and over
flowed lands within the State of Flor
ida, or such parts or portions thereof as
is deemed best by said Board of Drain
age Commissioners from time to time,
and to provide for the irrigation Of the
lands reclaimed, and to maintain such
drains, canals, levees, bikes and reser-
voirs in such manner as will be most adj
vantageous to the territory so drained,
the State of Florida, its inhabitants and
the commerce thereof.
Section 33. That the Board of Drain
age Commissioners are hereby author
lied and empowered to establish drain
age districts and fix the boundaries
the Board of Drainage Commissioners
be and it is authorized and empowered
to prepare list or lists of all the allu-
vial or swamp and overfiowed taxable
lands within such drainage district or
districts. and levy thereon an acreage
tax not exceeding ten cents per acre
per annum to be fixed annually by said
Board of Drainage Commissioners. and
the various tax assessors of the various
counties embraced in a part or in whole
within such drainage district or districts
shall receive such list or lists and enter
the same upon the tax rolls of the coun-
" or counties in which such lands may
lie and th q amount so levied by the
Board Of rainage Commissioners in
such manLer and form as may be pre-
scribed by the Board Of Drainage Com
mlssioners from time TO- time, which
amounts shall be collected by the various
tax collectors of the counties wherein
such lcvies have been made as other
taxes are collected in accordance with
law, and pay over said amount collected
TO the Board of Drainage Commission
ers Said Commissioners shall have
lien superior TO all other liens upon the
taxable lands in any such drainage dis
trict. 10 be enforced by tax levy, for
the cost OF any WORK done under the
provisions hereof, or done, prior 70 the
adoption of this amendment, under the
provisions of an act Of the Legislature
passed in 1905.
Section "a. That the Board of Drain
age Commissioners be and il is author
lied TO exercise the right of eminent .
domain in the condemnation Of land for I
the location of its canals, drains, levees /
bikes and reservoirs for the purposes 4
aforesaid, and many enter upon, take 4
and use such land as it may pending 4
proceedings deem neces- /
sary for lsuch purposes, and in ascer-
tanning the compensation to be paid for
such land or right-of-way, benefits TO .
.e derived from such drainage shall be .
considered by the jury
Section 35. The Legislature may 7
provide for the assessment of benefits |
derived by lands by reasons of such !
and the collection thereof; |
the proceeds therefrOm shall be paid 10 |
the Board of Drainage Commissioners |
70 be used by them foe such drainage |
purposes.
Ton Much pOweP