The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1914-10-15

the sum OF nifty millions OF dollars
($50. 000. 100000 for the purpose Of con-
structing and maintaining public roads
and highways.
FIFTEENTH PROPOSITION.
Proposed by Initiative Petition.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
A proposition to authorize levy and
collection of special taxes for road pure
poses, to issue bonds In any sum for
said Durposes, upon petition of taxpay-
Ing voters, providing for and authOris-
ing construction and maintenance Of
highways, and authOrixinE governing
body OF governmental subdivision or
dering construction, Improvement, ptar-
chase or maintenance Of such Highways
to either levy a direct tax for same OF
to issue interest bearing bonds and sell
same, using proceeds thereof for such
purposes, whether such highways are
wholly Or partly within and partly
without the governmental subdivision
proposing to make AID pay for such
highway. or improvements.
Proposed constitutional amendment con-
corning revenue and taxation, amending
article X Of the Constitution Of the state
Of Missouri by adding a new section
thereto to be known az section ~. pro-
viding for the levy and collection Of
special taxes for road purposes, for the
issuance OF bonds in any sum for said
purposes upon petition of tax-paying
voters and authorizing the construction
and maintenance of highways partly,
without the governmental subdivision
paying for same.
Be enacted by the people Of the State
of Missouri:
That article of the Constitution Of
the state of Missouri is hereby amended
by adding a new section thereto, to be
known as section ~, as follows:
Section II. Upon petition signed by
!. hfty-one per cent Of tax-paying, voters
Of the state or of any city Of any class,
whether organized under special charter
township. road or school district or any
improvement district naming the pro-
posed highway Improvement being filed
with the proper officials whose duty 1t
now is to levy state or local taxes for
the territory embraced in the district pro-
posed to be taxed for the improvement.
the state board OF equalization or the
proper local tax-levying authorities shall
order special tax levy against all prop
erty in the governmental tax subdivision
named by petitioners sufficient to raise
any amount necessary to make the pro-
posed highway improvement, not exceed
ing, however, the amount named for such
improvement in the petition asking there
for, provided if no amount is named in
the petition therefor the authorities maxi
ing the tax levy shall name the amount
to be raised and expended. The taxel
herein provided for shall be levied and
collected in the same manner and at the
same time as general state. city, county
and local and township, school and dis
trict and special Improvement taxes are
now levied and collected. according to
the fact as to whether the taxes are for
state highway Improvements or for one
Of the GOVERNMENTAL subdivisions herein
above named. The words highway i'm
provements' used herein shall include
roads, drives, boulevards and streets, VIA
ducts and bridges over streams either
wholly within this state or over streams
which may form boundary between Mis-
souri, and other states. 1t Is inte~ded by
this amendment to confer the power upon
the state and cities of all classes, whethe or
organized under special charter or the
general law, and all villages. towns. coun-
ties, townships. road. school and special
improvement districts. upon petition OF
tax-paying voters as hereinbefore pro-
vided, to construct, purchase or acquire
roads, drives. boulevards and bridges and
viaducts, and to maintain. alter improve
and beautify the same. II In the opinion
of the officials whose duty 1t shall be to
make the tax levy for the proposed i'm
PAONCH0Ht ~ WOuiu U0 UclttT " ISSUE
interest bonds instead Of levy
ing direct tax for said improvements,
then the said above named authorities
shall issue bonds in amount sufficient to
make the Improvement and fix the time
OF maturity and rate of interest OF said
bonds, and sign the same and present
them to the secretary of state Of the
state Of Missouri, who shall stamp same
with the seal Of the state Of Missouri
and deliver same to the state auditor.
who shall register same and then de-
liver said bonds to the officials who is-
sued them. and said officials may then
sell same. No new boards or commits
sions shall be created by the general as
sembly to carry out the provisions of this
amendment, but the present tax-levyins
and assessing authorities in the various
governmental subdivisions named shove
and the state board Of equalization shall
make the necessary assessments and
levies according as the tax may <oe for
state or city. county, township or district
purposes. to the end that no unnecessary
additional expenses be imposed on the
taxpayers by the creation Of additional
superfiuous offices. The existing officials
performing duties hereunder shall re-
ceive the same compensation now pro-
vided for similar services under the gen.
eral revenue laws Of Missouri. All petit
lions for state improvements shall be
presented to the state board Of equaliza-
ton. and petitions for city. county, viii
-lage. township or district improvements
to the tax-levying officials Of said above
named subdivisions. The above enumer-
ated powers may be used by the state or
any Of the governmental subdivisions
above named to construct. build. acquire
and maintain highways. whether the said
highways lie wholly within or partly
within and partly without the govern
mental subdivision proposing to make the
improvements and pay therefor.
STATE OF MISSOURI.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
!. Cornelius Roach. Secretary Of State