Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-04-30
LEGISLATIVE
WORK ENDS
Re-AppOrtiOnment and Met
ropolitan Drainage
Bills Vetoed.
One of Most Important Bills
Passed Was the Con-
ServatiOn Act.
BY HJALMAR PETERSEN
Representative From Pine County

Representative from f1ne SOullly
(The last week.
One of the issues over which con-
siderable fight developed in the clos
ing days of Minnesota's 47th legis-
lative session was that of the metro
politan drainage important legisla-
ton for the preservation of health in
the Twin Cities and othefscities along
the Mississippi river to the south.
Under provisions of the bill costs
were to be distributed valuation
basis, through which owners of the
large packing plants in South st. Paul
would have benefited to the extent
of $4,000 annually over period of
80 years. If the drainage cost was
to be allocated on volume basis the
packing plants would be obliged to
pay much more than the bill called
for. 1t is only reasonable that costs
should be according ~. benefits re-
ceived. The private ,nsfking plant at
Austin and other "pIaas6ay the costs
of their own sewagsI sal and it is
unjust to foist upon's backs of tax
payers of Minneapolis, st. Paul, South
st. Paul, and smaller villages this
tremendous yearly overcharge run
ming into millions of dollars over a
period of years, especially in the light
of criticism of too low valuations on
these plants in years past.
According to the Metropolitan
Drainage Commission and reports of
ha oil of
pointed in January, 1881, by the
northwest section of the American
Society of Civil Engineers and the
Engineers Society of the Twin Cities,
quoted in Governor Olson's veto mes
sage, recommendations were made
that Minneapolis and st. Paul should
unite on the sewage disposal PROPOSE
tion on valuation basis and then
work out satisfactory plan allowing
South st. Paul with it's packing plants
to join in on a volume basis. Under
this plan it would entail saving over
a 80 year period to the taxpayers of
Minneapolis of $4,000 yearly and St.
Paul $4,000 yearly, and of course
would increase the cost to the pack
ing plants approximately $4,000
annually. :
This bill apparently was very I'M
just to the taxpayers and was there
fore opposed by the writer, though it
carried in both houses of the legis-
lature. The governor vetoed it and
in so doing represented the best in
terests of the people against the
special privilege packers. Since the
metropolitan drainage bill did not be-
come law on account of the governors
veto the cities of Minneapolis and st.
Paul are trying to work out a drain
age program of their own on an as
Sessed valuation basis and may work
out a plan with South st. Paul and
the packers on a volume basis.
Income Tax Amendment.
The constitutional income tax
amendment was passed by both houses
of the legislature in the closing days
and signed by the governor so the
matter will be passed upon by the
voters in the 1892 general election.
If carried then the legislature of 1888
will have full authority to pass a stat
utory income tax to be effective that
year.
At the beginning of the 1881 ses-
sion nothing more was hoped for in
the way of income taxes than to pass
the amendment proposal fer the 1892
election, as a statutory graduated in
come tax was thought to be unconsti-
tutional. Some weeks after the ses-
sion had commenced the attorney gen.
eral ruled that in his opinion statu-
tory income tax would be constitu-
tional so proponents of such meas
ure Immediately set to work to draw
up bill, good assistance being given
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