Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-01-17
CONSERVATIVE
GROUP WINS
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people be permitted to vote upon a
constitutional amendment whi h
would give the Legislature power to
engage the state in the general oper-
alton of public utilities, packing
plants and other key industries"
Remarking that all three major
parties in the state had advocated
such action in the last campaign.
Governor Olson asked that the laws
be changed SO that legislators would
be elected on the party basis, instead
of without party labels as at present.
Tax Fight in Prospect.
Warnings of the coming battle over
various efforts for tax reform already
are evident.
One of the most startling proposals
yet submitted to this session is the
bill presented by Senator George H.
Sullivan of Saltwater, one of the con-
sentative leaders, which would re-
move all taxes from real estate and
personal property for state purposes.
Such law would make necessary the
changes of rates in other present tax
laws or adoption of a new tax system
to replace the revenues thus lost.
Statements by Senator Sullivan aft
er the introduction of his bill indi-
Gated that he was presenting it prin-
cipally for the purpose of starting
off the battle over tax reform. When
Senator Sullivan was asked what he
planned as a companion measure to
provide revenues to replace those
bill he replied: 1--WE will have all
winter to argue that" He explained:
ut is just a method of bringing this
whole tax subject to the surface, and
this will give us head start on this
pressing problem"
Four bills asking continuation OF
the reduced motor vehicle license fee
were introduced in the Legislature in
the first week. The 1888 session of
the Legislature made emergency re-
auctions of the license fees for the
biennium. New legislation must now
be passed to keep the fees from ris-
ing to the old levels.
1t has been pointed out by N. w.
Elsberg, state highway commissioner,
that unless the revenues of the high
way department are raised the state
will be unable to obtain approxim ately
81 100000 in federal aid road funds
in the next two years. The national
government has given notice that 1t
will cease giving emergency highway
aid to states and will revert to the
former procedure under which the
states must match federal aid roads
funds dollar for dollar. Because of
the reduction of auto license fees by
the 1888 Legislature at the same time
that it extended the trunk highways
4,4OO miles, the highway department
funds have become depleted to the
point where the state can no longer
match federal funds unless new rev.
enue is provided.
For Graduated Auto Fees.
In discussions of ways to increase
the highway fund revenues much SEN
timent is apparent for the increasing
of license fees on the higher priced
cars. 1t is felt that a person able
to buy a higher priced car is much
better able to afford the higher tax
than the owner of lower-priced car.
Even so, such increased fees as have
been suggested would represent only
very small fraction of the annual
maintenance of such larger cars.
Governor Olson in his message
pointed out that Minnesota ranks
near the bottom among the states in
the amount of taxes paid by the aver
age motorist."
Among the legislative actions in
recognition of the need for farm re-
lief was the passage of the joint reso-
luton presented by Senator Lawson
memoralizing Congress to hasten &C
ton for seed relief to destitute farm
ers of Minnesota and to take immed-
late action for liberalizing regula-
lions governing the distribution OF
forage and relief.
Honor House Veteran.
Representative o. K. Dahle Of
Spring Grove, veteran member Of the
House, received the congratulations
of that body on his 10th birthday,
Jan. 8. Mr.. DAZZLE was for sixteen
years county attorney of Houston
county, where he was born. He served
his first term in the Legislature in
1923.
One of the new members of the Sen
ate this year is Homer M. Carr. Farm
er-Laborite of Proctor. who served in
the House in 1888. Senator Carr is
locomotive engineer. He was a
first lieutenant in the field artillery
in France during the war.
The baby member" Of the Senate
Is R v. Woolsey. Democrat of Mel
rose, who is 25 years old. Ralph w.
Severson Of Mankato. who Is about
the same age is the baby member