Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-26
THE SCHOOL TAX BILL.
Senator Virgins Argument in Its Favor Be.
fore the Committee.

- S>'PAo" ooA vi municipalities from
81 cents to 40 cents and increase the mill
tax for the support of schools to IL mills.
Mr. Wiggin argued substantially as fol-
lows:
lie began by calling attention to the
deep feeling that has for the last few wears
been manifested throughout the State
that the burden of taxation should be
more nearly equalized. This bill is directly
IN line OF equalization of taxation. Not
pretending to argue the question of the
value and Importance of education, he
laid down as his first propositiont that
every citizen of the State is equally inter
ested with every other citizen that the
youth OF the State should be educated.
In an llliterate community property is of
less value. Again if every citizen is for
economic reasons equally interested in
the diffusion of education each citizen
should bear an equal share of the burden
OF taxation for support of schools, proper
toned upon tie value of his property. In
other words. the property of the State
should bear the burden of the education
Of the children of the State, and this bur
den should fall equally upon every dollar
ever located. A large portion of the prop
erty of the State is, under the present law,
exempt from taxation to a great extent
for the support Of schools. The value of
the wild lands in Maine is ST, 800. 900
in round numbers. This vast amount of
property is exempt from taxation for school
purposes except to the extent of the one
mill tax. This is manifestly unjust.
III. ,tn.I l., Al. g.
citizens living side by side might each be
worth $780, 900. A has all his property in
the town. B has house worth $4,000
in town and Sl9o. 600 in timber lands A
pays a school tax on his entire property
b pays only on SO, 900 and one mill on
the dollar on the remaining $4,000.
Again the percentage of tax for school
purposes under the present law is fay
greater in the rural towns that are less
able to bear the burden and much lighter
in the cities and wealthy towns, that are
better able to pay. In Castle Hill, ARGOS
took county, every citizen pays under the
present law a tax of so mills on every
dollar of his property for the support of
schools. In the town of Smithfield, Som
erset county, the rate is almost 3 40
mills. In Bangor the rate is less than
1-1o mills. In Lewiston about 9 2l0
mills. In Portland only 10 mills. and
the entire timber land area of the State
pays for sch )ols but l mill This should
be equaized by State tax which would
fall equally upon every dollar of property
in the State, whether located in the heart
of a populous city, in remote rural town,
or in the depths of the wilderness which
covers the northern portion of our State.
1t may be said that citizen of Port
land, or'ot Bangor, or of Augusta, has no
interest, in or responsibility for the edu-
cation of Il boy or girl in a remote town in
Aroostook or Somerset county. This OBJ
ject Is prompted by that natural selfish
ness which seeks to evade taxation. 1t
has no foundation in fact or in equity.
The youth who are now attending the
schools all over the State are to be the
future. business men and women of the
State. They are to be our future Cover
nors, legislators, State and municipal
officers, and are to carry on the entire
business of the State, civil and political,
in the years to come.
Have the citizens of one town or city
no interest that the youth of every other
town or city should be educated? Our
Yankee boys and girls have habit Of
migrating from the home of their youth,
and the boy who is carving his name on
the pine benches of the old red schoolhouse
in some rural town, today may in few
years be citizen of one of our large cities
and may there carve his way to fortune
and to prominence in affairs. 1t is from
the rural towns that the ranks of those
who have the direction of affairs in our
cities are recruited. Is it not for the in
terest of the cities that the youth of the
rural districts should be educated?
1t is objected that this policy tends to-
ward communism. This objection is
hardly worthy of notice and the argument
is of no more force than that every town
should be at the expense of carrying It's
own mails 1t is said that it is introduc-
ing an extraordinary innovation. But
the State has already, to certain extent,
adopted this policy and is today doing just
what this bill proposes to do to a greater
extent. If it was right to reduce the per
oapita tax to cents and lay a one mill tax
TO make up the deficiency, it is still 1urther
in line of equity and justice to reduce the
pcr capita tax to 45 cents and increase the
mill tax to Ia mills rs this bill proposese'
There seems to be a horror of increasing
tbe State tax, But if the municipal taxes
are reduced to an equal amount ana even
70 n greater amount by laying the tax
eouallv on property inside and outside the
municipalities, should any one complain
or be frightened on this account?
II has been said somewhat siurrlngly
that this was a measure for the benefit OF
Aroostook. This is not so. 1t Is for the
benefit. or rather it is measure OF justice
TO all the rural portions OF our o'ate-
Aroostook is doing more today for schools
in proportion to her ability than any other
rortion of the State Only two counties
spent more for text books by the last
school report, only five counties paid more
for teachers wages, and the amount VI
ao.a,, ,roncrty in Aroostook today is only
exceeded by the wealthy county OF Cum
h ,rland and is equallcd by no other
n is said that because this is Repubii-
can Legislature we must be very cautious
about making any innovation. as the peo-
pie will hold the party responsio'e' o''