Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1907-05-17
Proposed Amendment to the State Con-
stitution Providing for the Crea-
ton Of Improvement Dis
triCtS in Certain Cities.

trICtS IN Certain Cities.
Joint Resolution amending Section
Q, of Article s, of the Constltu-
ton of the State of Texas, pro
viding for the creation of improve
ment districts in cities of more
than five thousand inhabitants,
and charging the cost OF certain
provemen made therein
against the abutting property.
Section Be it Resolved by the
Legislature of the State OF Texas;
That Section 9 OF Article s OF the
Constitution OF the State OF Texas,
be so amended as to hereafter read
as follows:
Sec, 9 The State tax on prop.
erty, exclusive of the tax necessary
to pay the public debt, and Of the
taxes provided for the benefit OF
public free schools, shall never en-
coed thirty-tive cents on the one
hundred dollars valuation; and no
county, city or town shall levy
more than twenty five cents for
city or county purposes, and not eX-
ceedlng fifteen cents for road and
bridges, and not exceeding fifteen
cents to pay jurors, on the one hun
dred dollars valuation. except for
payment of debts incurred prior to
the adoption of the amendment Sep
TENDER q, A. d. 1888, and for the
erection of public buildings,
streets, sewers, water works and
other permanent improvements,
not to exceed twenty-five cents on
the one hundred dollars valuation,
in any one year, and except as is
in this Constitution otherwise pro-
vided; and the Legislature may
also authorize an additional annual
ad valorem tax to be levied and COL
lected for the further maintenance
of the public roads; provided, that a
majority OF the quaitledproperty tax
paying voters of the county voting at
an election to be hell for that pur-
pose shall vote such tax, not to eX-
ceed- fifteen cents on the enc hun
bred dollars valuation, Of the prop
erty subject to taxation in such
county. And the Legislature may
pass local laws for the maintenance
of the public roads and highways,
without the local notice required for
special or loca! laws.
In addition to the foregoing, cit
les of more than five thousand in
habitants may lay out within their
corporate limits, improvement dis
tficts in which they, by and with
the consent of majority of the tax
payers owning real estate therein,
may build sidewalks and charge
the cost thereof against the abuttng
property, and may build sewers and
pave streets and charge one third
of the cost thereof against the abut-
ting property on either side of the
streets upon which such improve.
mentS are made in such district, and
the amount charged against all such
abutting property shall be deemed
and held to be tax against and
lien upon such abutting property,
and the Legislature is required to
enact laws prescribing the means
for ascertaining the amount proper
ly chargeable against each parcel of
abutting property, and providing
for the enforcement of its Collec
ton.
Sec. ,. The Governor is hereby
directed TO issue the necessary
proclamation for submitting this
amendment to the Constitution to
the qualified voters of the State Of
Texas on the first Tuesday in Au-
gust, A. D. 1907, at which election
all voters favoring this amendment
shall have written or printed on
their ballots: "For the amendment
to Section 9 OF Article 8 of the Con-
stitution, permitting property own
erS in cities OF more than five thou /
sand inhabitants to create improve |
ment districts, one-thlrd the cost |.
of which to be charged against abut-
ting property on either side of the
street" And the voters opposed
to said amendment shall have writ
ten or printed on their ballots the
following: against the amend
ment to Section 9 of Article 8 of the
Constitution, permitting property
owners in cities of more than five
inhabitants to create i'm.
provement districts, one-third of the
cost of which to be charged against
abutting property on either side of
the street"
Sec. 3. The lateneSs in the ses-
sion, the crowded condition of the
of both houses, and the
Importance of this proposed amend
nent. create an emergency and an