The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-02-22
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100000 which the legislature normal
ly is called upon to appropriate for
state purposes every two years, the
legislature this year has the job Of
finding upwards of 100000. The
additional amount must not be raised
through real estate tax levies-in fact,
ever since the session started there
has been deafening clamor for dras-
tic reduction of ad valorem taxes, with
complete removal of the state from
the real estate tax field becoming a
strong possibility.
In additional to the general revenue
appropriations, which are expected to
total approximately $40,0O0,000 for
biennium, the legislature is faced
with the need for S1O,O0O,OOO for pub
lie relief and it must provide some
means of making up an existing de-
felt of $10,5O0,000. Also, there is ex-
ipected to be call for appropriation
of up to $5,000,000 later in the session
for old age pensions.
To make the story complete, there
probably also should be added the de-
mands of the state highway depart
ment for restoration of the 1882 auto
mobile license rates, in order to pro-
vide 100000 to $3,500,000 additional
revenue per year and provide state
funds with which to match proposed
federal highway aid.
Legislative leaders have received
no word from Washington to indicate
possible withdrawal of the ruling
by Harry Hopkins, federal relief ad-
ministrator, to the effect that federal
drouth relief allotments would be re-
duced by the amount of any state ap-
preparation for this purpose and it
was expected that the $1,000,000
arouth relief bill would be abandoned.
There probably will be a renewed
effort, however, to restore the drouth
relief appropriation to the main relief
bill, making it s11,O00,000 instead of
$10,000,000. Should this be done, the
executive council would have the job
of trying to figure out method of
providing adequate relief for starving
livestock.
The state highway department
would be authorized substantially to
use day labor on read construction
projects under the terms of bill in
troduced in the senate by Senator AL
fred Solstad, Fisher. The bill would
permit the commissioner of highways
to submit a bid in competition with
contractors. This is the same prac-
tice as is followed by the Minneapolis
city engineer on sewage disposal and
other PWA projects in the city, and
which has precipitated considerable
controversy with federal authorities.
The senate passed a resolution me-
morializing congress to permit states
to tax products in interstate COM
merce. Under the present setup, all
such manufactures are exempt, re-
ducing substantially the revenue
which a state could derive from some
form of sales tax.
The senate also passed a concurrent
resolution asking congress to place
an adequate tariff on pulpwood and
newsprint. The resolution was spon-
sored by Senator A. H. Bridgeman, Be-
midi, who said that up to $4,000, 600
of pulpwood and newsprint is import
ed from Canada yearly, depriving nor
thern Minnesota industries of BUSH
ness. 81
Another bill passed amends the
Hennepin county probation investiga-
ton procedure, requiring the proba-
ton department to submit copies Of
reports on criminal investigations to
the county attorney. The bill was
introduced by Senator Joseh A. Koz-
lax, Minneapolis.
Enactment of a federal anti-lynch-
ing law was urged upon congress in
a concurrent resolution adopted una
nimously by the house upon motion
of Representative s. A. Stockwell,
Minneapolis. The house also passed
bill by Mr.. Stockwell removing from
sale state lands found to contain dep
osits chiefly valuable for their peat
composition. The peat resources rep
resent a potentially large revenue
source to Minnesota, the bills author
said.
A protest against consideration Of
any bills which would tend toward
loosening present state laws against
gambling was filed with the state
senate by Is members of the Fair
mount Avenue Methodist Episcopal
church, st. Paul. The petition men
toned specifically the proposed bill
to legalize part-mutuel betting in the
state.
A bill for the recodification of the
state pharmacy laws, including re-
quirement of five years experience be-
fore an applicant could receive a IL
cense and more rigid control of sale
of patent medicines, was introduced
in the house.
Emphasis was made by opponents
of the measure that restoration of the
higher rate is needed to guarantee
highway department revenue suffi-
cient to enable Minnesota to match
approximately 100000 in federal aid
in the next two years. Sponsors Of
the bill, charging the highway de-
ment carries a surplus of help, some
OF which devoted time wholly to po-
iIticaI puruoses commended that IL
proper economies are practiced the
state could qualify for federal aid
without raising motor car license fees
Retail grocers Of the state, alarmed
over plans to strengthen the states
pharmaceutical laws by increasing re-
strictions for sale of drugs, voiced
strenuous opposition to the proposed
bill at a public hearing conducted by