The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1920-11-11
OUR HIGHWAY FUNDS
Brief Review of Development of the
State Highway Department
and State Aid Fund.
Mile Laos County Has Received $129,
624 as State Aid and $780,
600 as Federal Aid.

OZ4 as STATE Ala anu p1OV,
600 as Federal Aid.
The Babcock amendment has been
adopted by large majority and the
good roads enthusiasts can now afford
to take another breathing spell. How
ever their trials and troubles have not
yet ended Minnesota has only taken
another step forward in her read
building program.
1t is interesting to glance back
through the pages Of Minnesota's his
tory and briefly trace the development
of the state highway department, not
ing the provisions that have been made
for state aid in building our highways.
Not one word appears in the original
constitution of the state Of Minnesota
concerning the public highways AS
Mr.. Cation said in his address two
weeks ago, each county was left to
build it's own roads. In 1898 appears
first mention of state tax to secure
funds for the construction of the high
ways. The constitution was amended
to include article TX, section '16, pro-
viding for the establishment of the
Estate Road and Bridge Fund" and
authorizing the legislature to levy on
the taxable property of the state an
annual tax not to exceed l20 of one
mill, to secure money for this fund.
The same section authorized the legis-
lature to provide for the appointment
of highway commission, thermembers
of which were to serve without salary
or compensation other than personal
expenses. (This provision was changed
in 1917 and the members Of the high
way commission now receive salary.)
In 1905 the wheels Of progress again
turned around in the bodybuilding
program. The legislature actually
passed an act providing for the ap-
pointment of highway commission
and also voted to submit to the people
of the state constitutional amend
ment increasing the levy of the state
tax for the road and bridge fund from
100 to IA of mill This amend
ment was carried in the 1906 election
by narrow margin.
Six years later, in 1912, another con-
stitutional amendment was placed be-
fore the people. This amendment en-
powered the legislature to increase the
annual tax levy from Ia Of a mill to
1 mill. AS in the other amendments
no county was to receive more than 3
per cent or less than " per cent of
the total fund. The proceeds of the
road and bridge fund, consisting of
the money derived from the f1nill tax
and the internal land improvement
fund, are expended in paying one-half
the cost Of constructing or improving
the state roads in the different coun-
ties.
Now it will be noticed chat each time
the section of the constitution dealing
with the state road fund was amended
: the tax levy was increased. oOf what
significance to the rural counties is
this upward trend of the state tax levy
for the state highways? We will ex-
anime the figures, furnished by the
state highway commission, which Mr..
Cation quoted to US about two weeks
ago. Since the l mill tax went into
effect Ramsey county has paid into
the state road and bridge fund 1885,
322 and has received from this fund
$226, 200, making net loss to Ramsey
county of $827,1 22. Hennepin has paid
in "$1,854,128 and received $244, 200
leaving a net loss of 81 500 1928. St.
Louis county has paid into this state
fund ss2,552,962 and has received $z71,-
200, the net loss to the county being
s2,281,752. These three counties have
together paid to the state highway
fund $4;7f8,812 more than they have
received from the state. Where has
this sum Of "S4,718812 been spent? !:
has 1een expended as state aid in the
construction of highways in the rural
counties of Minnesota. Yet Mr..
=Cravens will tell the farmers that
Robert c. Dunn, the man who was re-
-sponsible for the adoption of the 1
mill amendment, according to the pro.
visions of which this sum of $4,718,S12
has been taken from the three richest
counties in the state and spent on the
roads in the rural counties, worked
against the farmers. Under the pro-
visions of this amendment Mile Laos
county paid into the state fuad $31 ,269
and received $16O,s93, giving net
profit to the county of $129,624. Do
any people in Mile Laos county bene-
fit more from the good roads than do
the farmers? is there ANYTHING IN.