The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-03-24
TH = PRINCETON ONION: THURSDAY, MARCH "a 1910.


made for two years. the state road tax
was permitted to remain at one
twentieth of one mill, and the supreme
court knocked out the direct appro.
priahon. Based upon the present
valuation the one-fourth of one mill
tax would produce a revenue Of s277,.
Isl, provided all taxes were promptly
paid; probably it would not be safe to
count on more than $3.50, 900. This
amount is totally inadequate if q
statewide system of improved high.
ways is contemplated. If the state
road and bridge fund is to be used in
the legislature as a cudgel to club
members into voting for pernicious
measures the fund is large enough.
Let me call your particular atten.
ton to the fact that section Is, article
9 of the constitution, does not in any
manner recognize the state highway
commission, and the commission
exists today solely by implication.
The proposed new amendment to be
voted upon at the ensuing election
simply provides that one-half instead
of one-third of the cost of constructing
or improving any road or bridge may
be paid by the state. There is no
other change proposed. The legisla-
ture can, in a l0-line enactment,
abolish the highway commission and
parcel out the road and bridge fund
as heretofore. I do not believe the
people would sanction such back
ward step, nor is there much danger
of any legislature ever attemp ting it.
It would be better, however, to
recognize the commission in the con-
stitution.
The state tax for road and bridge
purposes should be increased to one
mill. Such a tax would produce a
fund of such proportions that some
thing worth while in the way of road
improvement could be accomplished.
AS already stated, the total tax rate
for all state purposes this year is 2.80
mills. Owing to the increased taxes
paid by railroads and the large
amount that comes into the state
treasury from other indirect sources
it ought to be possible, with proper
economy, by 1913 to reduce the state
tax levy to 2.20 Mills mill for
schools, l mill for roads and bridges,
20-1O0 of l mill for revenue purposes.
| The indirect taxes would care for all
other special levies, including the
state university.
This state might we'll pattern after
the young but vigorous common
wealth of Washington, state that is
forging to the front by leaps and
bounds. In 1905 the Office of big hway
commissioner was created in that
state and a state road tax of one.
quarter of a mill was levied; in 1907
the levy was increased to l mill.
There is no state on the Pacific slope
that is making more rapid progress
than Washington, and the greatest
factor in it's development is good
roads. The valuation of that state
this year will reach 5000, 900, 900,
which means state road and bridge
fund of 5000, 900. Here is a state that
was admitted to the union 81 years
after Minnesota, yet it leads us in
works of internal Improvement.
Proud, progressive Evergreen
State" you are rightly named after
him who was first in war, first in peace
and first in the hearts of his fellow
countrymen.
AS I have already shown the maxi
mum tax that can be levied by the
state for road and bridge purposes is
one-quarter of a mill. Without a
mandate from the people the legisla-
ture cannot increase that tax; a con-
stitutional mendment is necessary.
Assuming that there will be no extra
session, an amendment that will pro-
vide for a 1-mill tax cannot be enacted
before 1911, and, if enacted then, can
not be submitted to the voters until
the regular biennial election in
November, 1912, and, if adopted by
the voters, would not become opera
tive before 1914. If Especial session
is held this year, and such an amend
ment is enacted, submitted and adopt
ed, it would become operative in 1912.
For one, would like to see an
amendment adopted that would pro-
vide for the levying of tax of l mill,
to be extended by the state auditor
annually and the proceeds expended
under the supervision of the state
highway commission. While I have
faith in the intelligence and patriotism
OF our legislators I believe it would
be better to provide for the levying of
this tax in the fundamental law of our
state and place it beyond the power OF