Road Tax

 

 

During the time of slavery and after, the African American that emigrated  to Texas from the old southern states, as a rule,  would walk the entire distance. 

 

 

CHAPTER XXXI.

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE COUNTY COURTS TO LEVY A ROAD TAX, AND TO IMPROVE ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature cf the State of Texas, That the county courts of the several counties of this State be, and they are hereby authorized, to levy and have collected a special tax upon the taxable property in their respective counties, and to appropriate the same to the building of bridges and the improvement of the first class public roads in their counties respectively ; said reads to be classed by said county courts.

Sec. 2. Said county courts shall appoint a road overseer in each county, whose duty it shall be to employ hands, at such price as may be fixed by the courts, to work on roads at such points and in such manner as he may think best for the good of the traveling public and as the courts may determine; to contract for building necessary bridges and causeways ; but all such contracts made by him shall be submitted to the county court for approval; and, if so approved, said contract to be closed on terms safe to the county, to be prescribed by the court.

Sec. 3. That work on roads or bridges or causeways, as contemplated in the foregoing section of this act, on completion according to the terms of the contract, and so certified by the overseer, shall be paid out of the road fund hereinbefore provided for, by order of the court.

Sec. 4. That overseers of roads shall receive such compensation for their services, to be paid out of the road fund quarterly, such sum as may be reasonable for the services rendered, to be fixed by the county court, not to exceed five hundred dollars annually ; and said overseer shall be bound to keep the roads, bridges and causeways of his county in good repair ; and, on failure to do so, may be removed by the court and be subject to indictment as for a misdemeanor, and fined, not exceeding one hundred dollars ; provided, it shall be a good defense to such indictment that he had not sufficient means at his disposal to keep the same in good repair, or that he used due diligence to keep the same in good repair.

Sec. 5. Any person may pay his or their special tax, as herein provided, by work on any portion of the road, causeway or bridge in the county under contract or agreement with the overseer, and he may receipt for the same, and such receipt shall be a sufficient voucher on settlement with the tax collector of the county.

Sec. 6. The tax herein provided for shall be assessed and collected as other State and county taxes ; shall be paid to the treasurer of the county, and paid out by him as ordered by the county court; said tax shall not exceed in any one year one-eighth of one per cent, on the taxable property of the county.

Sec. 7. The overseers of roads, before entering on their duties, shall give bond in double the amount of their salary, conditioned for a faithful performance of their duty, and for all damages on account of failure to keep the roads, bridges and causeways in good repair, to the extent of the means furnished them.

Sec. 8. All road laws heretofore enacted in this State be, and the same are hereby repealed, so far as they conflict with this act.

Passed August 4, 1870.

 

Home