The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-10-19

VerSltleS, anu ali SeInlndrleS OF learn
ing, all churches, church property
and houses of worship. institutions
of purely public charity public prop
erty used exclusively for any public
purpose, shall be exempt from taxa
ton, and there may be exempted
from taxation personal property not
exceeding in value $780, for each
household, individual or head of
family, and household goods and farm
machinery. as the legislature may
determine:
Provided, that the legislature may
authorize municipal corporations to
levy and collect assessments for local
improvements upon property benefit
ed thereby without regard to a cash
valuation. and provided further, that
nothing herein contained shall be
construed to affect, modify or repeal
any existing law providing for the
taxation Of the gross earnings Of
railroads"
The Purpose and Effect of the Proposed
Amendment
The purpose and effect of this amend
ment Is to grant to the legislature, In ad-
ditlon to the power now granted by said
section to exempt personal property, the
authority to exempt from taxation, such
household goods of each household, and
such farm machinery of each farm, as
it may see fit. BY the present Section I
Of Article the legislature Is granted
the authority to exempt from taxation
unspecIfied personal property not exceed
Ing In value $500 for each household. In.
diVidual, or head of family.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 4.
By the adoption of Chapter 443 Of the
Laws of 1888 the legislature has proposed
an amendment to Article of the State
Constitution. This amendment viii not
add to or alter any existing section of
the Constitution, but will add new Sec
ton to be known as Section s of Article
8. The proposed amendment reads as
follows:
ANY of The public lands of the
state, including lands held in trust
for any purpose, may, with the ap-
proval of commission consisting of
the governor, the attorney general
and the state auditor, be exchanged
for lands of the United States and
other privately owned lands as the
legislature may provide, and the
lands so acquired shall be subject
to the trust, if any, to which the
lands exchanged therefor were sub
ject, and the state shall reserve all
mineral and water and water power
rights in lands SO transferred by the
state"
The Purpose and Effect of the Proposed
Amendment
The purpose and effect of this amend
ment Is to authorize the legislature to
provide for exchanging any of the public
lands OF the state for lands of the Uni
ted States and land privately owned, such
OF commission consisting of the COVER
nor, the attorney general and the state
auditor. Such exchanges of land can.
not now be made because the State Con.
stitution does not permit the legislature
to authorize the sale of school lands,
state swamp lands and state internal inn
provement lands except by public sale.
One immediate purpose In granting such
authority Is to make 1t possible for the
state to acquire compact areas of land
for forestry and other conservation pur.
poses by exchanging land outside of such
conservation areas for lands of the Uni
ted States and privately owned lands
within such areas.
The amendment requires that all min.
eral rights, water rights and water
power rights In lands so transferred by
the state shall be reserved. The land so
acquired will become subject to the same
trust, If any, as the land disposed of.
For example, ii school land Is given In
exchange. the land received will become
school land.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. S.
By the adoption of Chapter 444 of the
Laws of 1888, the legislature proposed an
amendment to Section ! of Article Of
the State Constitution. At present Sec
ton l of Article reads as follows:
1.-THE power of taxation shall never
be surrendered. suspended or con-
tracted away. Taxes shall be uni
form upon the same class of sub
lected for public purposes. but pub
lie burying grounds, public school
houses, public hospitals, academies,
colleges, universities, and all seminal
ries of learning, all churches, church
property and houses of worship, in
situations of purely public charity,
and public property used exclusively
for any public purpose, shall be ex-
empt from taxation, and there may
be exempted from taxation personal
property not exceeding in value $500,
for each household individual or
head of a family, as the legislature
may determine: Provided, that the
legislature may authorize municipal
corporations to levy and collect
sessments for local improvements
upon property benefited thereby
without regard to a cash valuation,
and provided further, that nothing
herein contained shall be construed
to affect, modify or repeal any ex-
listing law providing for the taxation
of the gross earnings of railroads"
II amended as proposed by the legis-
lature, said section will read as follows:
1.-THE power of taxation shall never
be surrendered, suspended or con-
tracted away. Taxes shall be uni
form upon the same class of subjects,
and shall be levied and collected for
public purposes. but public burying
grounds, public school houses, pub
lie hospitals. academies colleges,
universities, and all seminaries of
learning, all churches, church prop
erty and houses of worship, institu-
tions of purely public charity, and
public property used exclusively for
any public purpose shall be exempt
from taxation, and there may be ex-
empted from taxation personal prop
erty not exceeding in value 5000, for
each household, individual or head Of
a family as the legislature may de-
termine. Academies, colleges uni
versities, and all seminaries of learn
ing shall be construed to mean the
property actually and exclusively
used in the instruction and housing
of the students thereof. and resi-
dences on the campus actually occu-
pied by instructors of such institu-
tions. Provided, that the legislature
may authorize municipal corporations
to levy and collect assessments for
local improvements upon property
benefited thereby without regard to
a cash valuation, and provided fur
ther, that nothing herein contained
shall be construed to affect, modify
or repeal any existing law providing
for the taxation of the gross earn
ings of a railroad"
The Purpose and Effect Of the Proposed
Amendment
The purpose and effect of this amend.
ment Is to mention specifically and de-
fine definitely the property of academies,
colleges, universities and seminaries Of
learning which shall be exempt from tax
alton. The present Section of Article
provides that academies, colleges, uni
versities, and all seminaries of learning
shall be exempt from taxation, but does
not specifically state what property Of
such Institutions shall be tax exempt.
u the proposed amendment Is adopted
the only property of said educational in
situations which will be exempt from
taxation under this section will be the
property actually and exclusively used in
the instruction and housing Of the stu
dents thereof and residences on the
campus actually occupied by instructors
of such institutions.
Yours respectfully,
HARRY n. PETERSON,
Attorney General.
Busy Aboard Linitshin.