Twin-City herald. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1927-1940, 1932-10-29
Proposed
Amendments
to the
Constitution
of the
State of Minnesota
Submitted by the Legislature at its
General Session, 1881, to the People
of Minnesota at the General 1882
Electromagnetic with Statementsof
Purpose and Effect
of each
Prepared by
HENRY N. BENSON
Attorney General of Minnesota
Addressed to
MIKE HOLM
Secretary of State
STATE OF MINNESOTA.
LEGAL DEPARTMENT..
HENRY II. BENSON,
Attorney General
STATE OF MINNESOTA.
LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
HENRY II. BENSON,
Attorney General.

LEGAL DEPARTMENT..
HENRY II. BENSON,
Attorney General.
HON. MIKE HOLM.
Secretary of State.
Pursuant 10 Mason's Minnesota Sta
tutes of 1927. section As, herewith
transmit a statement of the purposes
and effect of the proposed amendme nts
to the constitution of the state OF
Minnesota which are to be SUBMITTED
to the electors of the state at the 1897
general election, in accordance with
certain acts adopted by the legislature
at the 1881 session thereof.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. I
By.the adoption of Laws 1881, chap.
ter 420, the legislature has proposed
an amendment to article y section
of the constitution, relating to taxa
ton. This section now reads as fol-
lows:
THE power of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended
or contracted away. Taxes shall
be uniform upon the same class
of subjects, and shall believed and
collected for public purposes. but
public 6urying grounds. r. PUBIC p;tols
academies, colleges, universities,
and all seminaries of learning. all
churches, church property and
houses of worship. institutions of
purely public charity, and public
property used exclusively for any
from taxation, and there may be
exempted from taxation personal
property not exceeding in value
$500 for each household. individ-
ual or head of a family, as the
legislature may determines: Pro-
lorr isle, ffrFs
authorize municipal corporations
to levy. and collect assessments
for local Improvements upon prop
erty benefited thereby without re-
gard to cash valuation, and pro-
vided further, that nothing here
in contained shall be construed to
affect, modify or repeal any exist
ing law providing for the taxa.
ton of the gross earnings of rail-
roads,
If amended as proposed. this section
will read as follows:
1.-The power of taxation shall
never be surrendered, suspended
or contracted away. Taxes shall
be uniform upon the same class
of subjects. and shall be levied
and collected for public purposes,
but public burying grounds, pub
lie school houses, public hospitals,
academies, colleges, universities,
and all seminaries of learning. all
churches, church property and
houses OF worship, institutions of
purely public charity, and public
property used exclusively for any
public purpose. shall be exempt
from taxation and there may be
exempted from taxation personal
property not exceeding in value
5000. for each household, indivi-
dual or head of the family. as the
L. tell 6eafe At.yra Inn
Legislature may enact any law re-
quired to make the taxation of
national banking associations con-
form to the laws of the United
States. Taxes may be imposed
upon incomes and on franchises
and privileges measured by in-
come, including income, franchises
and privileges of railroad COM
panies, which may be classified,
and which taxes may be graduated
and progressive, and the legisla-
ture may prescribe reasonable
exemptions, and such taxes may
be in lieu, in whole or in part or
taxes on any class or classes of real
or personal property as the legis-
lature may determine. 1t shall not
be necessary to submit to a vote
of the people any law imposing
tax upon the income, franchises
or privileges of railroad COM
the constitution of this State in
consistent herewith are hereby re-
pealed Provided, that the legis-
lature may authorize municipal
corporations to levy and collect
assessments for local improvements
upon property benefited thereby
without regard to a cash valua-
ton, and provided further, that
nothing herein contained shall be
construed to affect. modify or re-
peal any existing law providing
for the taxation of the gross earn
ings of railroads"
rhe Purpose OF The Proposed Amendment
The proncsed amendment is Intended
first to give the legislature specific au-
thority to enact such laws RESPECTING
the taxation of national banking asso-
Citations as will conform to the laws Of
the United States. The laws of the
stance that the states may tax the
shares of a national banking associa.
tion. provided that the rate OF tax or
such shares shall not be greater than Is
assessed upon other n1oneyed capital ir
the hands of Individual citizens of such
state coming in competition with tbs
business of national banks. At present
the laws of Minnesota provide that
shares of such a banking association
shall be assessed at thirty three ane
one third per cent (33 1870 OF theiI
true and fun value. Moneys and credits
and mortgages upon and executory con.
tracts for the sale of real estate are
taxed in this state at lower rate. The
supreme court OF the United States has
held that the Minnesota plan of taxing
shares Of a national banking association
is invalid because these shares are taxee
at a higher rate than moneys anc
credits and mortgages on and eSecutorS
contracts for the sale of real es.
tate. Under the proposed amendment
1t Is Intended to give the legislature the
power TO enact laws for the taxation Of
national banks that shall be in harmon,
with the federal statutes on that sub
ject, even though such laws might Of.
fend other provisions of the state ccn.
Tie reYr -inssr Of Tire new rla1tcr
wl1leh woa;is b. Fiac-d IN eaid section
by the rr-rcc~s %-acnsr1ent Is inten5ce
to give tsl. lrclclaTure s2eci7c authority
TO enact laws rrCvsSinu for tax on In.
comes. and on frfncs1ises and 'rrivi.
ieees measured BY fhcon1e, Including In.
come. franchises AMI privileges of rail.
read companies. Ii IS proposed that
all incomes may be classified and t.tad
taxes may be graduated and progressive
that is to say. the rates may be differ
ent en- incomes of different Sizes. Il is
Intended that the legislature e1a. have
power TO allow reasonable exemptions
from such taxes and to provide that such
Income taxes may be In lieu, either ir
whole or in part, of taxes on such other
Glasses OF real or personal property az