The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1920-08-05


cast. If the voter fails to mark this
amendment he has really voted against
it.
The adoption of the pending consti-
Futional Amendment No. 1, establishes
in Minnesota State Trunk Highway
System of approximately 1000 miles
of main, or arterial roads, which
reaches into every section of the state,
the highways to be "located, construct
ed, reconstructed, improved and for
ever maintained as public highways
by the state Of Minnesota"
The construction and maintenance of
the roads in this system is to be done
by the state of Minnesota and is to be
financed in so far as it may be neces-
sary or advisable by bond issue,
which bonds are to be retired by the
proceeds from an increased tax on
motor vehicles. Such tax to be in lieu
of all other taxes on motor vehicles.
The amendment limits the issue of
bonds to any calendar year to $40, OOO,-
600 par value, and provides that there
shall never be more than $75, ZOO, 900
in bonds outstanding. The amend
ment does not set any limit to the
number of years within which bonds
may be issued, but it does require that
all outstanding bonds in excess Of
$75,00O,o00 must be paid before any
additional bonds can be issued. The
amendment simply authorizes the
legislature to issue bonds, but does net
make the issuance of bonds manda-
tory.
In order to finance the Trunk High
way System established by Amend
ment No. l it will be necessary to levy
a license fee on automobiles, which in
all probability will average about s15
per car and ranging doubtless from
$40 to $12 for the smaller cars up to
as much as $50 to SIS for the larger
and more expensive cars and trucks.
Ii the legislature should fix such an
average annual license fee it would
justify an issue of bonds to the full
limit of the constitutional amendment
because the bonds and interest thereon
could be retired by the proceeds from
motor vehicle license fees.
Those who have made an extended
study of the amendment are of the
belief that it will not be necessary for
the state to issue any bonds at all un-
less it may be deemed advisable to
issue a small amount for the purpose
OF refunding to a number of counties
the money expended in the construc-
ton Of portions of the proposed Trunk
Highway System.
At least $5,OOO,00O will be received
from the increased license upon motor
vehicles. In all probability such
sums OF money would meet the total
expenditures in road construction. and
especially for the next few years. be-
cause of the scarcity of labor and ma
terials for road construction. The
practlcability, the advisability, or the
necessity for the issue of bonds is a
matter that may safely be left to the
good judgment of the peoples repre-
sentatives in the legislature.
By the establishment of the Trunk
Highway System all of the local road
1unds-the state aid, county and town.
ship levies-are left intact to be used
Wy local authorities in building and
maintaining the local or feeder roads.
These funds, based on the past two
years average, amount to the gigantic
total of about $15,OOO,O00 year. By
dlverting some of the money to the
exclusive use Of the county and town.
ship road building authorities they
would be enabled to construct many
thousand miles Of first class local
roads. Inasmuch as IS to 80 per cent
OF the total road building funds have
heretofore been expended in the build
AAA5 ~sAASA AAAeSAACNAdI1OC VI LHG. lHQCnClCdl
roads that will be taken over by the
state, it is apparent that the local road
building authorities will have at least
FIVE times as much money to expend in
building and maintaining their local
roads under the amendment than I'M
der the present conditions. The
amendment will give the local road
building authorities, for the first time,
reasonably ample funds to enable them
to take care of the road building re-
quirements in their respective coun-
ties.
The extensive use of automobiles
and auto trucks has made an immedi-