Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-05-03

San joaquin l7.S70,l27 4j,423 4l,434
Shasta $50 ,6l6 4,jjl 1890
From the above table it will be seen tina
San Francisco, San Joaquin and Fresno
each pay in the State Treasury for Scho0
purposes, a much larger sum than is re,
turned to them for the support of theil
schools. while Shasta and Trinity eacf
pay in small, and receive large sum
in return. Trinity pays to the State tor
educational purposes 81 l,644, and receives
from the State, to maintain her public
schools $5,322. Deduct the first named
from the last named sum, and it will be
seen at a glance that we receive from the
State $3,678 more than we pay TO the
State School Fund. In point of fact we
receive from the State for the support oi
our Schools sac hundred and sirty- SeUen
dollars more than the entire State tax
collected in the county.
How is this result brought about I
Briefly stated, in this manner. The State
levied tax for school purposes of % 4 lC
per cent upon all the property Of the State
which brought in from San Francisco
more than a half IN illion, and from Trim
ity less than two thousand dollars. But
in the distribution of this money, it is
apportioned TO the several counties ac-
cording to the number of school census
children. But tho sum received by
Trinity County was not sufficient for
the maintenance of her schools, and we
find by reference to the county auditors
books, that county school tax OF thirty
five cents on each one hundred dollars was
levied, from which source was raised
S2,724. There was also collected 100
poll taxes at 81 ench and 246 poll taxes
at S3 each, making total of $2,3l8,
which was also paid into the county school
fund. The total amount received from
the State, from county property tax, and
from the sale OF poll taxes, for school
purposes, was $l0,364, of which the State
pays 1892 or more than one-half.
Under the new constitution this will be
changed. We will assume for the argu-
ment of this article that in 1880 the tax
roll of the State and counties will be the
same as in 1877, and that the State will
distribute, as in that year the sum OF
1850 600, besides the annual interest
accruing from the sale of school lands
But the manner in which this 81 ,260, ,O0O
will be raised becomes Of Importance
The new constitution provides that poll
tax of not less than 81 shall be collected
annually and paids into the State school
fund. Here we lose $2,3lS which we
must make up by a direct county tax, OF
else collect county poll tax also. If we
do the latter the poll tax, which fall:
chiefly upon laborng men will be indeed
an oneroCs one. Meanwhile, the State
proceeds to collect its 81 100000. The
poll-tax, at the lowest figure allowed by
the constitution, will bring in 100000
for we assume that counting citizens and
aliens there are 300 900 men in the State OF
the constitutional age. Instead, then, OF
raising 81 100000 by direct tax upon
property as now more than one-half OF
the sum will be raised cut Of the poll.
tax and paid chiefly from the wages OF
the laboring classes. This does not look
exactly like "peor mans constitution. ;
Instead of San Francisco, with its tax rol
Of two hundred and sixty millions O
wealth which it has wrung from the in
terror, aiding to support the schools o
the State, more than half of the burden il
lifted off of her property, and put upoI
the shoulders Of the laboring classes.
We will now assume that the school
of the county will require the sam,
amount as in 1877. OF this sum we will
got 1892 from the State, and the count,
tax will bring as in $2,72l more. w,
are now behind nearly twenty hun
dred dollars, from loss of the poll tax,
which must be raised by either county O.
district tax. To raise this sum an addi
tional levy of thirty 10 thirty-fve cent
on each 500 valuation must be made ant
oul taxes raised TO at least three per cent
This is upon the assumption that tn,
assessment roll will be as large as here
tofore. 1t is true that mortgages anC
credits will! be taxed, but there will b,
nothing gained by that, as the .nortga
gor will be allowed rebate upon tn,
mortgaged property, and "debts" viii
Offset credits" Taking all the parts o
The ne" constitution together it certainly
looks as if the design of its trainers wa.
to prevent education in the future, tha
wisdom might die with them"
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